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Three Years Record 


— OF 


Y E Twilight Club. 


7 


COMPILED 

FROM 

OFFICIAL SOURCES, 

FOR THE 

Example and Delectation of 
all Man- (and Woman-), kind 
and as a Souvenir for its 
Members and Friends. 

SECOND EDITION. 

COPYRIGHTED. 

(ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.) 
1886 . 




















































PRINCIPLES. 



r Constitution. c 

O 

Full Dress. 


By-Laws. 


Mutual Admiration. 


President. 


Defalcations. 

NO J 

Salaries. 

NO ■> 

Decamping Treasurer. 


Debts. 


Watered Stock. 


Initiation Fee. 


Parliamentary Rules. 


Boss. ,J 

P 

“ Previous Question.’’ 




r Lengthy Speeches. c 

J 


Personalities. 


Late Hours. 


Party Politics. 


Profanity. 


Preaching. 


“ Fish Stories.” 


Gambling. 

NO ^ 

“ Sailors’ Yarns.” 


NO J 

Dynamite. 


Dueling. 


Defamation. 


Free Dinners. 


Mugwumps. 


Scandal. 


Cards. 


Bribery. c 

3 

Flowers. 




r Conventionality. cb 

f Puns. 

» 

Grand Reform. 


Gush. 


High Ideal. 


Cant. 

NO J 

“ Papers.” 

NO 

Red-Tape. 


“ Dudes.” 


Formality. 


Cliques. 


Humbug. 


Coteries. 


Pie. 


L Post-prandial Naps. c 

P 

L Dyspepsia. 


All amendments to the above must be submitted in writing two years before being 
acted upon, with a deposit of $17.34 as a guarantee of good faith. 













































NINETY DINNERS. 


Three Tears' Record 

— of — 


Y E TWILIGHT GLUB. 





5 


< r/5 n P^ 2 ' 


Y E Twilight Club. 


Founded Jan. k, 1883, to Cultivate Good Fellowship and Enjoy Rational Recreation. 


REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP. 

TO BE A CLUBABLE FELLOW—With One Dollar in Pocket. 

♦ 


PROGRAMME. 

A Dinner every other Thursday at 6 o' clock sharp, interspersed with five minute 

practical Shop Talks. 


INVITATIONS. 

i 

Members may invite friends to attend any dinner upon at least one day's written 

notice to the Secretary. 


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: 


DR. J. C. ZACHOS, 
S. S. PACKARD, 
JOHN SWINTON, 

w. o. McDowell, 


MARCUS BENJAMIN, 
GEO. W. WINGATE, 
REV. J. H. SUYDAM, 
ROSSITER JOHNSON, 


GRAHAM McADAM. 

CHAS. F. WINGATE, Secretary, 119 Pearl St. (Hanover Square), New York. 


NOTE—Any gentleman is eligible to membership in the TWILIGHT CLUB, 
upon the written recommendation of a member , when the applicant's name will be 
submitted to the Executive Committee , zvho are authorized to pass upon his physical, 
moral, mental and fi,7iancial qualifications, and to authorize the Secretary to issue 
a certificate of membership to him. The Club now has a membership of over 
Four Hundrea. After a certain maximum is reached, an Initiation Fee will be 
levied of $1,000. 


HEv7 YORK PUBL, MB',, 

JM EXCHAClOfin 

JUL 7 1905 







\ 




INTRODUCTION- 


/p\N January 4, 1886, The Twilight Club will enter 
upon the fourth year of its wild and Mazeppa-like 
Career with a large membership, a modest library, an 
art collection, and a depleted treasury. It points with 
pride to its past record, and looks forward to many 
fraternal gatherings in the future round the festive 
board. So long as clubable fellows abound who pos¬ 
sess the requisite dollar and who desire to practise the 
Gospel of Relaxation, the club has a raison d'etre , and 
will continue to enjoy its simple programme of Shop 
Talks, with which its members have so long been con¬ 
tented. It has seemed fitting to preserve to posterity 
some slight record of the wit and wisdom which have 
marked the Ninety Dinners partaken of in the past. 
While it is idle to hope to preserve the flavor of timely 
talk and jocund jest, yet the following summary, hastily 
recorded in the intervals of a busy life, will, it is hoped, 
serve as a reminder of happy hours and a promise of 
like pleasure in the future. 





4 


“ We 
it is time 


have had somewhat too much of ‘the Gospel of Work,’ 
to preach the Gospel of Relaxation.” 

—Herbert Spencer. 


“ That border land ’twixt day and night be mine, 

And choice companions gathered there to dine, 

With talk, song, mirth, soup, salad, bread and wine.” 

—Stedman. 





/ 




History of Y e Club. 


Reprinted , with Additions, from the Brooklyn Eagle, August 5, i88j. 

THE public has been interested in the Twilight Club through reports 
^ of its pleasant reunions from time to time, and from the widely- 
circulated rumors of good times enjoyed by those who frequent its 
weekly gatherings. Recently it gave a dinner at Brighton Beach Hotel, 
and over 200 persons responded to the “notice” of Mr. Gordon L. 
Ford, president for the day, and Charles F. Wingate, secretary, to 
attend. Brooklynites who are members entertained many out of town 
friends on that occasion, and the club made many stranger friends. 

It is unique in many respects, and was started under these circum¬ 
stances. 

Last winter, just after Herbert Spencer's farewell speech at Del- 
monico’s, in which he referred to the need of a new gospel of relaxation 
for Americans, two ex-journalists, while walking down to Fulton 
Ferry, happened to broach the subject of the lack of opportunities for 
social intercourse in New York City among professional men. Said 
one of them to the other, “ Here, you and I live within a stone’s throw 
of each other and have our offices in near proximity, yet how seldom 
we ever meet except casually on the ferry or in the street cars, and 
there are scores of our acquaintances in the different professions who 
all would be excellent company if one could only get at them.” The 
other seconded the statement and remarked upon the failure of most 
journalistic clubs, largely because of the lack of leisure on the part of 
those who otherwise might attend them. The first speaker then 
suggested the desirability of having a club whose membership should 
include men of different occupations, who should meet and dine once 



6 


HISTORY OF YE CLUB. 


a week at some convenient restaurant. “ Let us not attempt any 
formal organization,” he said, “and thus we may escape the ‘ consti¬ 
tution tinkering ’ which is the bane of most clubs and societies. Let us 
have no dues, no assessments, no by-laws, no president or other 
officers, except simply an executive committee and a secretary to 
attend to the details of the dinners. Every man has got to eat some¬ 
where and he can at least spare time for one meal from his business or 
home obligations. If we dine early and go home early, then one’s 
wife and children cannot complain about late hours or dissipated 
habits. Lastly, instead of conventional after-dinner speaking, let 
each man be called upon to say something about his business or trade. 
This would be tedious in a club composed of men of one profession, 
but where there is a variety of occupations these * shop talks ’ cannot 
fail to be interesting. Again, let us aim to get the younger and 
‘ coming men ’ in the professions, for the sake of the freshness which 
they can impart, and also make a point of seeking out men of origin¬ 
ality, especially those with hobbies which they can be asked to ven¬ 
tilate for free discussion by the members. Finally, let us forbid long 
speeches, full-dress formality, red-tape, gush, humbug, cant and non¬ 
sense of all kinds.” 

The speaker grew earnest and enthusiastic and his companion said : 
“It is a good scheme ; let’s do it.” No sooner said than done. 
Within a fortnight the first meeting was held and the club was 
launched. Some difficulty was found in the choice of a name. The 
first one suggested was the “Spencer Club;” but this savored too 
much of radical philosophy to suit some. The “Thursday Night” 
seemed better, but it had no special significance. Finally, the Rev. 
J. H. Suydam, of Jersey City, one of the founders, proposed the 
“ Twilight Club,” and this title was adopted with acclamation. The 
cards of invitation state that the objects of the club are “ to cultivate 
good fellowship and practise the new gospel of relaxation,” and that 
the requirements of membership are “to be a clubable fellow —with 
one dollar in pocket ” The executive committee consisted of E. V. 
Smalley, one of the two ex-journalists referred to, Charles F. Wingate, 
who was chosen secretary, Henry Hall, William O. McDowell and 


HISTORY OF YE CLUB . 


7 


Colonel W. P. Fogg. The first meeting was held at Mouquin’s restau¬ 
rant in Fulton street, New York, on January 4, 1883, and was attended 
by twenty-one gentlemen. 

Two others were held in the same place, when the club took per¬ 
manent headquarters in the Mills Building, where a number of its 
members had offices. It there had a weekly dinner in the restaurant 
on the ninth floor of that building, high among the stars. The 
attendance varied from fifteen to ninety, with an average of half the 
latter number. At the dinner given on the night of the East River 
Bridge opening there were 175 gentlemen and ladies present. At 
each meeting a different chairman is selected, and nearly every mem¬ 
ber has presided in his turn. Invitations are sent out freely and 
members constantly bring in new recruits, so that the membership has 
expanded to nearly 400. It includes every profession and nearly every 
occupation. There are artists, architects, actors, authors, auctioneers, 
bankers, brokers, clergymen, doctors, dentists, engineers, editors, 
merchants, teachers, professors, librarians, chemists, manufacturers, 
printers, importers, poets, soldiers, travelers, sanitarians, publishers, 
philosophers, political economists, politicians, and, last, one “"sad sea 
dog ; ” in short, every occupation but agriculture has its representative. 

Among the special guests who have entertained and been enter¬ 
tained by the club have been Judge Tourgee, author of the “Fool’s 
Errand;” Hon. David A. Wells, William Blaikie, Professor W. R. 
Ware, Columbia College ; Julian Hawthorne, Professor Felix Adler, 
Rev. Dr. Deems, Rev. Lyman Abbott, Editor Knox, of Texas Sift¬ 
ings; General Roger A. Pryor, Everett P. Wheeler, John Foord, 
Rev. William Lloyd, Rev. E. E. Hale, Lord Ronald Gower, Dio 
Lewis, A. P. Burbank, Dr. John S. Billings, U. S. A. ; Edward 
King, of Paris ; Mr P. Casamajor, Rev. John F. Stevenson, D.D., 
of Montreal ; Rev. John W. Chadwick and General Joseph R. Hawley. 

Besides the shop talks of individual members, the club frequently 
has a symposium on some special subject; or when a topic has been 
started by one speaker it may be taken up and discussed by quite a 
number. On one occasion eight or ten ex-newspaper men gave their 
reasons for getting out of journalism. On another the question 


HISTORY OF YE CLUB. 


whether democracy is a failure was discussed. Such topics as tech¬ 
nical education, the treatment of the insane, the management of 
public libraries, common school education, the effect of our patent 
system on invention, hygiene versus medicine, free trade and free 
ships, American literature and law reform, have all been considered at 
length. It is a nbteworthy fact that when a large and serious subject 
is broached it always rouses interest, and that while no attempt is 
made to treat topics profoundly, as in formal papers, yet often they 
are discussed in a very interesting manner. There is little attempt at 
fun for its own sake, yet many witty things are said incidentally, and 
it has been frequently suggested that they deserved to be recorded. 
Not one meeting has yet proved a failure. Even with a small attend¬ 
ance the interest has been kept up, and it is noteworthy how confi¬ 
dential and frank many of the speakers become and how many 
candid utterances are made. A five minutes’ talk by John Swinton on 
some of the things that newspaper men dare not write about will be 
recalled by all who heard it as a most eloquent and refreshing speci¬ 
men of Saxon speech. Again it is a curious circumstance that on no 
occasion when a speaker has stated the baldest facts within his line of 
experience in the course of a shop talk, has he failed to interest his 
audience. Whether talking about color printing, germs of disease, 
law codification, rifle shooting, management of libraries, journalism, 
making caricatures, insanity, pumping - engines, mining, cutlery, 
American ships, or preaching, each speaker finds a ready hearing when 
stating facts, and is constantly, by free questioning, led to continue his 
remarks long after he had intended to sit down. The club has thus 
far not been troubled by bores or cranks. The fear of being thrown 
from the ninth story of the Mills Building proved a safeguard against 
long-winded speeches. (The official bouncer of the club is Dr. 
William A. Hammond.) Again, it has too many newspaper men among 
its members to wish for publicity. 

The fame of the Twilight Club has spread far and wide.* Its 

* Members of the Twilight are found in St. Paul, Minn.; El Paso and San 
Antonio, Texas ; Newburyport, Montreal, Chicago, Washington, Silver Springs, 
Idaho; Baltimore, Oil City, Troy, Boston, Lynn, Philadelphia, Mac-a-cheek, Ohio; 
Stamford, Orange, and London, England. 



HISTORY OF YE CLUB. 


9 


guests have come from England, from Oregon and from Texas, and it 
is now an established institution. Its members have taken occasional 
excursions and have had dinners at Greenwood Lake, Coney Island 
and other resorts. They visited the Cooper Institute and were enter¬ 
tained by Peter Cooper only a few days before his death, while one of 
his last directions was to send the club twenty-five copies of his book 
on Finance, in return for the interest shown by them in that institution. 
On an other occasion the members all took a wash together in an up¬ 
town Russian bath, and afterward had dinner and a rousing meeting, 
at which David A. Wells, Henry George, Captain Codman and Harry 
Edwards, of Wallack’s troupe, were among the speakers. 

Judge Tourgee, in the Continent , discussing the question of clubs, 
and of the Twilight Club in particular, very sensibly remarked that it 
seemed unnecessary to build a club-house, hire a caterer and have all 
the trouble of managing such an institution, when all these things 
could be hired by the hour or day. This is one reason of the success 
of the Twilight. The same plan of action has been adopted by the 
new Constitution Club, which has leased a floor over a restaurant, 
which is fitted up as a reading-room, where food and drink can be 
had on call. For the exclusive or for the rich—who can afford to pay 
one or two hundred dollars initiation fee and twenty-five or fifty 
dollars a year dues—existing organizations will serve ; but there are a 
large number of clubable fellows who cannot afford such extravagance, 
but who are very glad to take pot luck with an organization like the 
Twilight, and who add interest and dignity to the membership. 

One point more in conclusion. The experience of the Twdlight 
Club has demonstrated fully what Herbert Spencer noted, the over¬ 
worked condition of American professional and business men, and 
that they need and can enjoy such relaxation as it affords. 

The seal of the club and its badge of membership is a facsimile of 
an ancient Greek coin, 2,000 years old, showing the head of the god¬ 
dess Athena on one side, and an owl, the symbol of wisdom, on the 
other. The original was loaned by Mr. Gaston L. Feuardent, and has 
been reproduced in facsimile , with the addition of the name Twilight 
by Mr. Charles Osborne, with the Whiting Silver Company of this city. 


10 


HISTORY OF YE CLUB. 


The following facts regarding a rival institution—the famous 
Lime Kiln Club, of Detroit—are suggestive in this connection : 

The Lime Kiln Club now numbers 22,850 members in good 
standing. 

It has about $7,000 in the general treasury, counting in Confeder¬ 
ate money and bills on broken banks. 

Its constitution now contains forty-seven sections or chapters, 
each one of the most vivid interest, and its by-laws number 12,460. 
It is hoped to increase the latter to 20,000 before another year. 

The club is the recognized organ of the colored race in America 
and Canada, and has been the direct means of saving 30,000 colored 
people from the gallows. 

While the membership of the Twilight is confined to gentlemen, it 
has extended a generous hospitality to the ladies, and on several spec¬ 
ial occasions has invited the members’ wives and their lady friends to 
dine together. On the night of the opening of the Brooklyn bridge a 
number of ladies were present as invited guests, and the following 
communication was received, it is supposed, from the Sweet Singer of 
Michigan. 



A Rec I PE. 


HOW TO MAKE A CLUB. 


Take all the good fellows you happen to meet, 

In office, in church, in market, in street— 

Bright authors, fine artists, big medicine men, 

And a host of good comrades that handle the pen ; 

Take chemists and sailors and even a teacher, 

A heterodox and an orthodox preacher, 

A half-dozen lawyers, a banker or two, 

Of brokers, professors and merchants a few ; 

Some young and some old, some grave and some gay, 
They all work so hard they’ll be willing to play ; 

From Jersey and Brooklyn persuade them to run, 

From all over the earth and e’en from the “ Sun ” ; 

All striving to build up a fortune or name, 

All hot with the struggle for lucre or fame, 

All toiling like galley slaves chained to the oar, 

At desk, or in pulpit, in office, or store ; 

Bid each brow unbend, smooth out every wrinkle, 

And make their dull optics to sparkle and twinkle ; 
Throw care to the dogs, when you gather around 
The board where Dame Nature’s best tidbits are found ; 
Let jests and good stories enliven the table, 

With a little sound sense, if you find yourselves able ; 
Keep pedants and fogies and bores from the place, 

Let humbugs and hypocrites ne’er show their face ', 

Let the young be serene and their elders be jolly, 

Give room for all thinking, but don’t let in folly ; 

Bring fancies in happiest concatenations, 

But banish far hence absurd regulations ; 

And, last, to remove the one bar to the sum 
Of your pleasure, the thought of your spouses at home— 
Let them also partake of your mirth and your cheer, 
Then no longer those querulous words you will hear, 
When home you return from this jovial throng, 

“ My dear, what in-heaven has kept you so long ? ” 







ST 


JJINNER.—JAN. 4, 1883. 


At Mouquin’s Restaurant.—21 Present. 


The evening was devoted to discussing the plan of the Club ; its 
name and future prospects. 


THE ORIGINAL JACOBSES. 




E. V. Smalley, 
Rev. J. Howard Suydam. 

Col. W. Perry Fogg. 

Henry Hall. 

Wm. O. McDowell. 

Chas. T. Carrett. 

J. Phelps Wingate. 

E. M. Castillo. 

Oscar Saxe. 

Col. Thos. W. Knox. 

Charles F. Wingate. 


AdD 


Chairman. 

C. W. Durham, C. E. 

H. L. Bridgman. 

Marcus Benjamin, Ph. B. 
William Haslam. 

Geo. B. Wilcox. 

Lynde E. Jones. 

David Brown. 

Richard P. Messiter. 
Rudolph Herring, C. E. 
E. P. Clarke. 


INNER.—JAN. 14. 

Col. W. P. FOGG, Chairman. —24 Present. 


Subject for Discussion: “ Free Trade." 

Speakers : E. V. Smalley, Henry George, Graham McAdam, E. M. 

Castillo, and others. 


3 d Dinner.—jan. 18. 

W. O. McDOWELL, Chairman. —14 Present. 
Topic for the Evening : Autobiographic Narrations. 




14 


NINETY DINNERS. 



INNER.—JAN. 


2 5 - 


H. L. BRIDGMAN, Chairman.—19 Present. 
Evening devoted to a discussion of Economic Questions. 



INNER.—FEB. 


1. 


HENRY HALL, Chairman. 

Symposium : Journalistic Experiences , by C. F. Wingate, E. V. 
Smalley, W. O. McDowell, C. A. Runkle, E. P. Clarke, Col. 
W. P. Fogg, Dr. J. C. Zachos and A. S. Higgins. 


6th Dinner.— feb. 8. 

C. F. WINGATE, Chairman. — 28 Present. 


Rev. J. H. Suydam, 
C. A. Runkle, 

John Swinton, 

E. V. Smalley, 

Geo. W. Wingate, 
Henry J. Winser, 


How a Clergyman Earns his Salary. 

. Changes in Law Practice. 
“Don’t Sell your Soul to the Shop.” 

Independence in Journalism. 
Creedmoor Rifle Practice. 
. Living Abroad and at Home. 


7 th D 


TH UINNER.— 


DR. 

Dr. J. D. Osborne, 
Rev. Dr. C. F. Deems, 
Col. W. P. Fogg. . 
Chas. F. Adams, 

P. S. Monroe, 
Frederick McDowell, 
P. Cassamajor, 

Henry C. Meyer, . 


FEB. 15. 

J. D. OSBORNE, Chairman. —50 Present. 

Introductory Remarks. 
A Minister’s Saturday Vacation. 

The Unspeakable Turk. 
“Mock Parliaments.” 

Recitation. 

. A Mining Engineering Experience. 
Pasteur Experiments, Chicken Cholera. 

Sanitary Engineering. 







NINETY DINNERS. 


15 



INNER.—FEB. 


23 - 


REV. J. H. SUYDAM, Chairman. —29 Present. 

C. F. Wingate, . The New Professor of Sanitary Engineering. 
Judge A. W. Tourgee, 

The So-called Leveling Influence of Democracy. 


John Y. Culyer, 
L. E. Jones, 

Dr. J. C. Zachos. 
R. U. Johnson, . 
A. S. Higgins, . 
Dr. A. N. Bell, 
Col. W. P. Fogg. 


Making and Maintaining Public Parks. 
Management of Public Libraries. 
Cooper’s Institute Library. 
Ohio the Centre of American Culture. 
Are Public Schools a Humbug? 

. Schools of Hygiene. 

Going West. 


9 th Dinner.— march i. 

DR. J. C. ZACHOS, Chairman.— 15 Present. 


Dr. J. C. Zachos 
Rev. J. II. Suydam, 
Dr. J. D. Osborne, 
Marcus Benjamin, . 
E. M. Castillo, 

H. F. Osborne, 


The Beauties of Contemplation. 

Clerical Education. 
A Doctor’s Experience. 
Recent Progress in Chemistry. 
A Spaniard on American Institutions. 

American Tool Manufacture. 


10 th d 


INNER.—MARCH 8. 

W. O. McDOWELL, Chairman. —18 Present. 


Gen. G. W. Wingate, 
Dr. Zachos, 

Rev. Lyman Abbott, 
Albert L. Lee, 

Dr. Kellogg, . 

W. O. McDowell, 

A. S. Higgins, . 


A Celebrated Case. 
The Cooper Institute Reading Room. 
. Privileges and Purgatory of Journalism. 

An ex-Ohio Man’s Experience. 
... Phases of Insanity. 

The Railway Harmonizer. 
O. W. Holmes’ Birthday-Book. 







i6 


11th d 


NINETY DINNERS. 

INNER.—MARCH 15. 

At Sieghortner’s Restaurant. 

H. L. BRIDGMAN, Chairman. —36 Present. 


David A. Wells, 

Dr. F. S. Abbott, . 

Capt. John Codman, 

Harry Edwards, 

John Frankenheimer, 

Prof. Robertson, of London, 
Henry George, 

W. H. Barringer 
C. W. Durham, 


PROGRAMME. 

Old Time New England Journalism. 

Health and Exercise. 
The Ancient American Mariner. 
. Recitation : “ The Old Showman.’’ 

.Codification. 

English and American Law. 

Legal Reform. 
Education vs. Training. 
. How Pullman was Built. 


Gen. Roger A. Pryor was the guest of the evening. 


12th D 


INNER—MARCH 22. 


Dr. J. C. Zachos, 
C. F. Wingate, 

E. V. Smalley, . 
W. O. McDowell, 

E. M. Castillo, 

F. H. Wheeler, 

G. W. Wingate, 

A. Vanderbilt, 


E. P. CLARKE, Chairman. - 14 Present. 
Topic— “ Ideals .” 

Grecian Independence. 
Literature in a Garret. 
Travel and Opinions. 
Poetry and Summer School. 
Travel and International Harmony. 

. Horseback Exercise. 
Write a Book and be Pecuniarily Independent. 

Revival of American Shipping. 





NINETY DINNERS . 


17 


13th d 


INNER—MARCH 


29. 


G. W. WINGATE, Chairman. —30 Present. 


John Swinton, . 
Noah Brooks, . 
Capt. John Codman, 
Prof. W. A. Ware, 
Carl Pfeiffer, 

C. F. Wingate, 

Dr. F. S. Abbott, . 
J. K. Hoyt, 

Dr. J. H. Osborne, 
Dr. A. N. Bell, Jr., 
Robert Hewitt, Jr., 


PROGRAMME. 

On the Twilight Club. 
The Froudes and Macaulays of Journalism. 
What will the Ship of the Future Be? 

Boston vs. New York. 
American Architecture of the Future. 

. List of Books. 
Are Americans Degenerating Physically ? 

. General Experience. 
Moral Depravity of Small Men. 

Large vs. Small Men. 
Exhibited Facsimiles of Noted Gems. 


14 th Dinner.—april 6. 


E. M. CASTILLO, Chairman.— 20 Present. 


The evening mainly occupied with eulogies of Peter Cooper.* 


Dr. Suydam, 

R Foster, 

C. F. Wingate, 
Clark Bell, 
Frank Beard, . 
E. V. Smalley, 
Gen. LaGrange, 


A Good Man with no Pretense. 
The Only Library Open on Sunday. 
Money Value of the Cooper Institute. 

. A Shop Talk about Law. 
Artists’ Life in the Army. 
Mr. Cooper’s Well-rounded Life. 
How Money is Made in the U. S. Mint. 


* A few days before a number of the club, by invitation, visited the Cooper In¬ 
stitute, where they were received by Mr. Cooper and escorted through the building. 






1 8 


NINETY DINNERS. 



Dinner.—april 12 . 


E. V. SMALLEY, Chairman. —60 Present. 


Called specially as a farewell to Mr. Smalley, previous to his depart¬ 
ure for the West. 

Presentation to Mr. Smalley of a purse of pennies and a pistol to 
protect his scalp with, a piece of plate, an application for a 
$10,000 accident policy, and resolutions signed by fifty names. 


E. V. Smalley, 

L. S. Metcalf, 

Capt. Nevin, 

P. Cassamajor, 

Dr. J. C. Peters, 

John Swinton, . 

Junius Henri Browne, 
Mr. Farny, 

Horace E. Deming, . 

C. L. Clark, 

James C. Bayles, 

C. F. Wingate, 


Acknowledgment. 
Work and Aim of The North American Review. 

. Our Sister Republic—Mexico. 

Eating Toadstools. 
Siberian Punch. 
Some Things an Editor Dare Not Discuss. 

. Leaving the Newspaper Shop. 

The Illustrated Press. 
The Young Republican Club of Brooklyn. 

The Electric Light in War. 

. Special Journalism. 
A Pome for the Occasion. 


16th d 


INNER.—APRIL 


19. 


J. P. WINGATE, Chairman. —24 Present. 


Engraved portraits of Peter Cooper distributed. 


Rev. Geo. W. Gallagher, 
Dr. J. C. Zachos, 

W. O. McDowell, . 

Col. W. P. Fogg, 

G. W. Wingate, 

Henry George, 

Prof. McChesney, . 
Barnett Phillips, 

Clark Bell, 

Mr. Millspaugh, 

G. W. Wingate, 

Robert Hewitt, Jr., 


A Clergyman’s Experience in the West. 

. Wedding Fees. 
Dr. Zachos’ Preaching. 
A Revival Story. 

. Is Democracy a Failure? 

. Geology and Crabs. 
. Fish Culture in America. 
What to do for the Insane. 

[-The Henry Prout Cooper Case. 








NINETY DINNERS. 


19 



Dinner.—april 26. 


A. S. HIGGINS, Chairman. —15 Present. 


PROGRAMME. 


C. F. Wingate, 

Rev. J. H. Suydam, 

Dr. Zachos, 

Dr. F. S. Abbott, . 

Dr. Alfred L. Carroll, 
G. W. Wingate, 
Rossiter Johnson, . 

Dr. J. C. Zachos, . 

C. F. Wingate, 

J. A. McCreary, 


Three Typical New Yorkers. 
An Experiment in Church Services. 

. Comment. 
Physical Culture. 
Household Sanitation. 
. The Wickedest Man in New York. 

A Salvation Army Meeting. 
A Freedman Funeral in South Carolina. 

The Gospel Howlers. 
Miscellaneous Remarks. 


18 ™ D 


INNER.—MAY 3. 

REV. J. SUYDAM, Chairman. —21 Present. 
PROGRAMME. 


. Growth of the Club. 
The New York School of Political Science. 


Rev. J. H. Suydam, 

Graham G. McAdam, 

Julian Hawthorne, 

Literary Work and Workers at Home and Abroad 
S. S. Packard, ...... Business Training 

Mr. Haslam, . A Business Man’s Experience with the Tariff 
Geo. W. Wingate, . . Politicians no Worse than the People, 

Capt. Codman, Torpedoes, English Bluster and the Southern Negro, 


C. F. Wingate, 
Marcus Benjamin, 
J. H. Dougherty, 


The Hampton School. 
. A Civil Service Examination. 
How Lawyers Get into Practice. 


v 




20 


NINETY DINNERS. 


19 th d 


INNER.—MAY io. 

MARCUS BENJAMIN, Chairman. —20 Present. 


PROGRAMME. 

A very social evening and an animated discussion. 


W. Barringer, 

C. F. Wingate, 

Van Campen Taylor, 

W. O. McDowell, . 
G. W. Wingate, 

F. H. Wheeler, 
James McRae, . 

J. C. Randolph, 

Jas. Davenport, 

Dr. J. H. Osborne, 


Technical Education and the Public Schools. 
Should not the School Course be Modified? 
An Educator Wanted who will not 
Make Boys Ashamed of Work. 

A Mechanic’s Scrap Book. 
American Inventiveness Due to Patent Laws. 

American Pumping Machinery. 
Ericsson and his Work. 
Seeking Oil in Mexico. 
Roman Catholic Influence in Public Schools. 
Ought Newark to be Annexed to New York? 


^iOth D 


INNER—MAY 


17. 


DR. J. C. ZACHOS, Chairman. —30 Present. 


PROGRAMME. 


D. G. Croly, . 

W. O. McDowell, 
Capt. John Codman 
Dr. F. S. Abbott, 
Geo. W. Wingate, 
Samuel Crump, 


The Future of New York. 
. After the Bridge, What? 
The Bridge Destructive to Shipping. 

. Ill Health of Our Girls. 
How to Teach a Man to Shoot. 
.Color Printing. 





NINETY DINNERS. 


21 


.2.1st d 


INNER.—MAY 24 . 


/ 


C. F. WINGATE, Chairman. —175 Present. 


This was the occasion of the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge, and 
a large number of ladies and other invited guests were present includ¬ 
ing Miss Mary L. Booth, Mrs. D. G. Croly (Jennie June), Mrs. F. B. 
Thurber, Mrs. H. M. Plunkett, Mrs. Gordon L. Ford, Rev. Lyman 
Abbott and Mrs. Abbott, Prof. Felix Adler and Mrs. Adler, Steele 
Mackaye, Dr. Egbert Guernsey, William Blackie, Mrs. Geo. W. 
Wingate, Mrs. Rossiter Johnson, Mrs. Annie E. Wright, Mrs. John 
Mack, Mrs. John Lillie, Mrs. M. C. Hungerford, Mrs. Fannie Tinker, 
Miss M. L. Fordham, Miss M. L. Clawson, Mrs. L. S. Metcalf, 
Mrs. John Codman, Mrs. E. P. Clarke, Dr. Kate Stanton, Mrs. 
Ermine Smith, Mrs. B. A. Rushton and many others. 



C. M. LUNGREN, Chairman. 


A small gathering. 


23d d 


INNER.—JUNE 16, at Greenwood Lake, N. J. 


JOHN SWINTON, Chairman.— 26 Present. 


General Conversation. 




22 


NINETY DINNERS. 


24th d 


INNER.—JULY 26, at Brighton Beach Hotel. 


GORDON L. FORD, Chairman. —125 Present. 


A large number of ladies attended on this occasion who listened 
to remarks by E. V. Smalley, John Foord, Gen. Stewart L. Woodford, 
Hon. David A. Wells, Everett P. Wheeler, W. O. McDowell and 

others. - 

On August 17 a Junior Twilight meeting was held at Delisle’s, 
Coney Island, at which 17 ladies and gentlemen attended. 


25th d 


INNER—SEPT. 


20 . 


W. O. McDOWELL, Chairman. —16 Present. 


PROGRAMME. 

The following letter from Herbert Spencer was read : 

No. 38 Queen’s Garden, Bayswater, | 
London, September 7, 1883. j 

Dear Sir— The receipt of your note with its inclosures gave me pleasure, and 
I am happy to accept the honorary membership of the Twilight Club. Consid¬ 
ering what appears to be my paternal relation to the club, I cannot, of course, 
do otherwise than sympathize with its aims and wish it prosperity. I would, 
however, remark that the reports of your proceedings seem to imply rather more 
gravity of subject in conversation than is altogether consistent with the “gospel 
of relaxation.” Could you not choose topics less allied to the daily occupation of 
your members ? I am sincerely yours, 

Charles F. Wingate, Esq. HERBERT SPENCER. 

The evening was spent in relating “ vacation experiences.” 


W. O. .McDowell, . 
G. W. Wingate, 
Clark Bell, Catching 
Roger Foster, 

John Swinton, . 

Mr. Telfair, 

Mr. Scholfield, 

W. Merritt, 


. Managing the Sea Beach Railroad. 
Shooting Crows and Catching Fish. 
Lake Trout and a Visit to a French Chateau. 

. At the Isle of Man. 
Intellectual Excursions. 
. Up in the Catskills. 
Among the Berkshires. 
At Shelter Island. 





NINETY DINNERS. 


23 


.2.6th d 


INNER.—SEPT. 


27 - 


REV. J. H. SUYDAM, Chairman. —16 Present. 
PROGRAMME. 


Dr. Suydam, 

. Vacation Experience. 

H. L. Bridgman, 

The Northern-Pacific Excursion. 

J. S. Stebbins, . 

. Chemistry of the Alizarine Colors. 

E. V. Smalley, . - ) 

Henry Winser, . \ 

Book-Making. 

G. L. Ford, . . ) 
W. O. McDowell, . \ 

. Running a Railroad. 

Rudolph Herring, C. E., ) 
C. W. Durham, . > 

. Engineering at Home and Abroad. 

Floyd B. Wilson, . ' 

» 

W. O.- McDowell, . 

On Hunting. 

John Swinton, . 

. Before the Senate Committee. 

C. F. Wingate, 

A Vacation Trip to the South. 

Dr. T. M. Coan, 

Health Resorts and Malaria. 

C. E. Bishop, . 

Editing at Chautauqua. 

27 th Dinner- 

-OCT. 4. 

col. 

W. P. FOGG, Chairman. —12 Present. 

PROGRAMME. 

Col. W. P. Fogg, . 

A Vacation Trip to the Colorado. 

Graham McAdam, . 

. Free Trade Organization. 

Dan. C. Beard, 

An Artist’s Training. 

Lemuel Quigg, . 

Reportorial Experience. 

Robert Hewitt, Jr., 

Exhibition of the Mask of Napoleon. 







24 


NINETY DINNERS. 


.2.8th d 


INNER.—OCT. 


I I. 


C. F. WINGATE, Chairman.—8 Present. 
Lynde E. Jones described Work at the Artist’s League, followed by 

General Talk. 


.2.9th D 


INNER.—OCT. 


18 . 


C. F. WINGATE, Chairman.—6 Present. 
General Conversation. 


30th Dinner.— oct. 25 . 

S. S. PACKARD, Chairman.— 26 Present. 

S. S. Packard, 

Vacation Experiences. 

Floyd B. Wilson, 

. Forming a Stock Company in London. 

Marcus Benjamin, . 

. Six Weeks of Typhoid Fever. 

Geo. B. Frost, 

. Engineering in the West. 

John Henry Hull, . 

Kindergarten Work in Brooklyn. 

G. McN. Staffer, . 

Development of the West. 

31st Dinner.- 

—NOV. 1 . 

E. V. SMALLEY, Chairman. —25 Present. 

John Swinton, . 

. Personal Journalism in New York. 

Dr. J. C. Zachos, 

. Pessimism vs. Optimism. 

H. L. Bridgman, 

Small Potato Men in Congress. 

Geo. B. Maynard, . 

Gen. Grant’s Toast at Newcastle. 

Rev. J. H. Suydam, 

. Benefits of the Club. 

E. P. Clarke, . 

Insignificant Congressmen. 

Leo G. Rosenblatt, 

. A Little Story. 

John Swinton, . 

. Sumner and Grant, 

E. V. Smalley, 

. Grant and Sherman. 








NINETY DINNERS. 


25 


32dD 


INNER.—NOV. 8. 


G. W. WINGATE. Chairman. —20 Present. 

George N. Messiter sang a ballad, W. A. Croffut read a poem 
and Dr. J. C. Zachos spoke on the study of Greek in colleges and 
schools, and recited some verses in his own native language to 
illustrate its melody and beauty. This led to an animated discus¬ 
sion, which was shared in by Rev. J. H. Suydam, Col. Clarke, of 
the Educational Bureau at Washington, Lynde E. Jones, C. N. 
Bovee, Henry George and C. F. Wingate. Afterwards Dr. Kelly, 
a guest, spoke on the present state of Ireland. 



D 


INNER.—NOV. 


i5- 


E. V. SMALLEY, Chairman. —8 Present. 


Evening devoted to discussing the Panama Canal. 



Dinner.—nov. 


22 . 


HENRY J. WINSER, Chairman.— 36 Present. 


Symposium of War Correspondents. 


Henry J. Winser, . 

Col. Thomas W. Knox, . 
Gen. Joseph Hawley, 
Junius Henri Browne, . 

E. V. Smalley, 

Dr. J. C. Zachos, . 
Henry J. Winser, 

Bringing Home 


How Ellsworth was Shot. 
. How I was Arrested by Sherman. 
Bravery of War Correspondents. 
. In and Out of Rebel Prisons. 
My First Fight and My First Wound. 
Arming the Freedmen at Port Royal. 

News of the Capture of New Orleans. 




26 


NINETY DINNERS. 



Dinner.—dec. 6. 


DR. J. C. ZACHOS, Chairman. —27 Present. 


Subject: “ Travel .” 


Thomas G. Shearman, 
John Frankenheimer, 

E. V. Smalley, 

Henry J. Winser, . 
W. O. McDowell, . 
C. F. Wingate, 
Marcus Benjamin, . 

F. H. Wheeler, 

Leo G. Rosenblatt, 


Smugglers in Switzerland. 
Doing Holland in One Day. 
. Sentiment and Deafness. 
Glaciers and Forests at Tacoma. 

A Drummer’s Travels. 
Read a Letter from Col. Thos. W. Knox. 
Read a Letter from Col. W. P. Fogg. 
American Lack of Enjoyments. 

. Three Fresh Stories. 


Remarks by Dr. Rochester, S. S. Packard, Dr. F. S. Abbott and 
Dr. Chas. H. Sheppard. 


36tH D 


INNER.—DEC. 


! 3 - 


CLARK BELL, Chairman.— 29 Present 
Topic: “Law and Lawyers .” 


Rev. J. H. Suydam, 

E. V. Smalley, 

G. W. Wingate, 

Roger Foster, .... 
Leo G. Rosenblatt, 

Dr. J. C. Zachos, . 

Stewart L. Woodford. . A U. 


. . . Law and Gospel. 

A Western Town Without Law. 
The Lawyer and his Client. 

Ancient Law. 
. Lawyer and Clients. 
The Higher Functions of Law. 
District Attorney’s Experiences. 





NINETY DINNERS. 


27 


37™ d 


INNER—DEC. 


20. 


MARCUS BENJAMIN, Chairman. —19 Present. 


Part of the evening was occupied with the naming of candi¬ 
dates for the coming Presidential contest, the choice being as follows : 
For Arthur, 1 ; Blaine, 1 ; Lincoln, 1 ; C. F. Adams, Jr., 1 ; Butler, 
1 ; Carlisle, 1 ; Bristow, 1 ; Cleveland, 1 : Hewitt, 1 ; James Russell 
Lowell, 1 ; “ Joe ” Hawley, 1 ; Beecher, 1 ; Edmunds, 3 ; Tilden, 2. 
A second ballot resulted as follows: Edmunds, 12; Tilden, 5 ; 

\ V 

Beecher, 2. 



D 


INNER.—JAN. 


3 > 


1884. 


COL. W. P. FOGG, Chairman. —34 Present. 


PROGRAMME . 

„ mV n I? \ Annual Review of the Club and Presenta- 

/ tion to the Secretary of a Stuffed Owl. 

Dr. J. C. Zachos, .Idealism. 

Rev. J. H. Suydam, The Chaplain’s Prognostication of the Future. 
Dr. W. A. Hammond, .Sanity and Insanity. 


Remarks were also made by L. S. Metcalf, G. W. Wingate. 
Rossiter Johnson, Dr. Zachos, Roger Foster, Dr. Rochester, H. L. 
Bridgman and others. George P. Messiter sang twice by request. 


39th d 


INNER.—JAN. 


IO. 


Devoted to General Conversation. 


8 Present. 





28 


NINETY DINNERS . 



th Dinner.—jan. 17. 

C. F. WINGATE, Chairman —29 Present. 

Topic: “ Why we have Hard Times.” 


Dr. J. C. Zachos, . 

The Cooper Institute Reading Room. 

A. S. Higgins, . 

. A Public School Principal’s Views. 

Rev: J. H. Suydam, 

A Clergyman’s Experience. 

L. S. Metcalf, 

An Editor’s View. 

Rossiter Johnson, . 

. The Book Trade and Hard Times. 

Capt. John Codman, 

Prosperity in the Far West. 

W. Washburn, . 

. A Poet’s View. 

John Swinton, 

The Appalling Facts of the Case. 

C. F. Wingate, 

. Sanitary Experience. 

S. S. Packard, 

Business Colleges. 

Thomas G. Shearman, 

Wages and Protection. 

Dr. A. N. Bell, 

. Overcrowding. 

John Swinton, .1 

. Trade Unions. 

Capt. Nevin, 

Corporations and Hard Times. 

Capt. Codman, 

. Chinese Labor. 

41 st Dinner.- 

-JAN. 31. 


CAPT. JOHN CODMAN, Chairman. —49 Present. 

Topic: “Free Trade and the Tariff.” 

Speakers : Messrs. Zachos, Lyman Abbott, E. V. Smalley, W. 
0 . McDowell, T. G. Shearman, C. E. Bishop, L. S. Metcalf, H. 
E. Deming, W. W. Nevin, A. S. Higgins, R. Johnson, and Messrs. 
Lockwood, Morgan, G. W. Wingate and Graham McAdam indulged 
in several Free Trade ballads and Prof. Goldberg gave a Tariff sleight- 
of-hand performance. 





NINETY DINNERS. 


29 


42dD 


INNER.—FEB. 7. 

H. L. BRIDGMAN, Chairman.—25 Present. 
Subject: “ Why do you Smoke?" 


No arguments on the moral ground were offered, but those who 
did not smoke said that they had a great fondness for tobacco and 
had been forced to abandon the habit mostly from its ill effects. 
The speakers were Dio Lewis, S. S. Packard, Rev. J. H. Suydam, 
John Henry Hull, Geo. N. Maynard, Col. Knox, Edw. Earle and 
others. 



ROSSITER JOHNSON, Chairman.—33 Present. 


The Copyright question was discussed by Rossiter Johnson, 
George P. Lathrop', Robert U. Johnson, of The Century Magazine ; 
L. S. Metcalf, of the North American Review; Rev. James M. 
Pullman, E. V. Smalley, W. O. McDowell, Capt. John Codman, 
C. E. Bishop, Henry Harvey and Roger Foster. 


44th d 


INNER.—FEB. 21. 


DR. J. C. ZACHOS, Chairman. —51 Present. 
Topic: 11 Why we don't go to Church." 


Speakers : C. F. Wingate, W. O. McDowell, Dr. W. A. Ham¬ 
mond, Rev. Jas. M. Pullman, Rev. J. H. Suydam, Capt. J. Codman, 
Leo G. Rosenblatt, Rev. Mr. Bailey, E. V. Smalley, Hon. W. S. 
Lay, of Oil City, Pa., and E. W. Chamberlain of the Liberal Club. 
All sides of the subject were fully presented, and it was viewed from 
the Evangelical, Rationalistic, Catholic, Universalist, Unitarian, Scien¬ 
tific, Materialistic and Ethical standpoints. A ballot taken later 
showed that of forty-three voters, thirteen attended church regularly, 
thirty did not attend and one “ sort o’ regular. 





30 


NINETY DINNERS. 


4:5th D 


INNER—FEB. 28. 


There were thirty-one members. Mr. S. S. Packard presided, and 
the subject of Two-cent Journalism was discussed by H. L. Bridgman, 
of Frank Leslie's Illustrated , Judge Tourgee, of the Continent , Charles 
T. Congdon, formerly of the Tribune , Mr. Fisk, of the Times , Charles 
Barnard, of the Century , Franklin A. Tinker, L. S. Metcalf, of the 
North American Review , E. P. Clarke, of the Brooklyn Union , C. F. 
Wingate, E. V. Smalley, Captain Nevin, C. E. Bishop, H. M. 
Smith, formerly of the Chicago Tribune , Roger Foster, and Rossiter 
Johnson. 

A ballot being taken, only seven out of thirty could remember a 
single editorial article which they had read within a week, and which 
had made any impression on their minds. 



There were eighteen members present. Mr. E. P. Clarke pre¬ 
sided, and the subject Ought Private- Fortunes to be Limited by Law? 
was discussed by Messrs. W. O. McDowell, Dr. J. C. Zachos, Jr., C. 
F. Wingate, E. V. Smalley, H. C. Meyer, S. S. Packard, Abm. Mills, 
Rossiter Johnson, and C. O. Brewster. 


4 


47™ D 


INNER—MAR. 13. 


There were thirty-three members present. Rev. J. H. Suydam 
presided, and the evening was taken up with a scientific and medical 
symposium, the speakers being Jas. C. Bayles, President of the Amer¬ 
ican Institute of Mining Engineers, Dr. W. A. Hammond, Jas. W. 
Hughes, of Montreal; Geo. W. Maynard, Dr. John S. Billings, U. S. A., 
of Washington ; Gen. Stewart L. Woodford, Dr. J. C. Zachos, Prof. 
Davis, Wm. O. McDowell, Dr. A. N. Bell, of the Sanitarian , and 
Thos. D. McElheine. 




NINETY DINNERS. 


3i 


48th d 


INNER.—MAR. 


20 . 


There were twenty-nine members present. Dr. J. C. Zachos 
presided, and the evening was taken up with “ shop talks.” The Sec¬ 
retary spoke of Improvements in the Art of Housebuilding. Mr. 
Alexander Wiley, of H. K. & F. B. Thurber & Co., described the 
process of canning food and denied that such food was poisonous. Mr. 
Ferguson, recently arrived from Ceylon, described his editorial experi¬ 
ences on that island. Capt. John Codman exhibited an original copy 
of Watts' Hymns dated 1716, and read an unexpurgated description of 
hell. Prof. Frank Beard told how to conduct a comic paper. Rossi- 
ter Johnson spoke of the lack of scientific principles in common appli¬ 
ances. Remarks were also made by Dr. Osborne, Wm. O. McDowell, 
Dr. Adams, Roger Foster, and others. 


4:9th d 


INNER.—MAR. 


27. 


There were twenty-one members present. Wm. O. McDowell 
presided, and the subject of the evening was Commercial Changes and 
Prospects. F. B. Thurber spoke of the developments of transportation 
by land and water. Captain John Codman predicted that the future 
ocean traffic would be mainly by steamers. Geo. Shepard Page gave 
an exceedingly graphic and detailed history of the growth and tenden¬ 
cies of the gas interest and its associate industries. C. E. Bishop 
spoke of trade journalism, and C. F. Wingate of the growing tendency 
to employ scientific talent in manufacturing, and of the development 
of technical schools for workmen. J. J. Mahony, formerly U. S. Con¬ 
sul at Algiers, described the improvements in lighting abroad. W. 
O. McDowell described Mr. Ezra Osborne’s cocoanut plantation in 
Florida. Remarks were also made by G. W. Wingate and Roger 
Foster regarding the effect of monopolies and agrarian agitation upon 
trade. The rest of the evening was taken up with a statement by each 
one present of how he had earned his first dollar. Among the means 
mentioned were the following ; Planting corn at twenty-five cents a 



32 


NINETY DINNERS. 


week ; selling newspapers on a train ; writing a college prize essay ; 
punching holes in skate straps ; selling a dog for twenty-eight dollars ; 
getting twenty dollars for staying on one of the Malay Islands as hos¬ 
tage for a ship’s crew ; picking rocks from a garden ; selling photo¬ 
graphs of war heroes in a New England village ; working as office boy 
at one dollar per week, &c. 


BO™ d 


INNER.—APR. 


3 * 



From the New York Sun. 

“ The Drinking Habit” was the topic discussed by the Twilight 
Club last night. The members met in the Mills Building and ate a 
dinner for which each paid a dollar. Such as pleased ordered wine 
also. The twenty-nine members who were present disagree in their 
opinions on most topics. The Rev. J. H. Suydam presided. 

Dr. Zachos, Curator of the Cooper Institute, said he did not be¬ 
lieve there was any cure for drunkenness, although he did believe in 
methods of prevention. He told a story of a bacchanalian who was 
accused by a straight-laced Presbyterian, and retorted by saying: 
“You are no judge of such a man as I am ; you haven’t soul enough 
to get drunk.” As to preventive measures, he advocated the promo¬ 
tion of social amusements apart from the temptations of drunkenness. 

Capt. John Codman recalled a discussion which he once heard in 
a country debating society, “Which has done the most harm in the 
world, Women or Rum?” Noah lived 450 years after he got drunk. 
Capt. Codman’s conclusion was that bad women and bad rum hurt 
people, and good women and good rum don’t hurt people. Col. T. W. 
Knox said that he used to take his drinks with the calm confidence 
of a Christian who holds four kings and an ace, but chiefly from con¬ 
siderations of health he had stopped drinking half a bottle of whisky 
a day and found that although it required a great effort it improved his 
health. The boatmen in the Great South Bay had told him that much 
less whisky is used by boating parties now than was used fifteen years 



NINETY DINNERS. 


33 


ago. S'. S. Packard told of an old negro woman who was cautioned 
not to get drunk lest her breath should betray her when she got to 
heaven. The old lady replied : Well, massa, I s’pecs when I goes to 
heaven to leave my bref behin’.” 

Secretary Charles F. Wingate announced that the average con¬ 
sumption of liquor by the club at a dinner was $6 for twenty-five per¬ 
sons. Geo. Shepard Page said that the rum traffic was the great crime 
of crimes. He would not allow a rum-shop within two miles of his 
house, and if he couldn’t stop it by knocking the heads of the barrels 
in he would knock in the heads of the rumsellers with the same axe. 
If he had his way he would put in the empty jails of Maine “thirteen 
of the New York Aldermen who keep unlicensed rum-shops.” Stephen 
Pearl Andrews said that tobacco smoking was to him quite as objec¬ 
tionable as the drinking habit, and he hoped it would go out of fashion, 
as possibly the drinking habit might at some future time. Goodwin 
Moody said that the morals of Maine had improved under the prohibi¬ 
tory law. Graham McAdam protested against the idea that the gov¬ 
ernment can act as a police force, or that you can make men virtuous 
with a club. As an American citizen, he repudiated the talk about 
taking away a man’s liquor by force. 


UlsT D 


INNER.—APRIL 


IO. 


There were fifty present at the fish dinner. Mr. John Foord, 
president of the Ichthyophagous Society, acted as chairman, and the 
menu, which was arranged by Mr. Eugene Blackford, included fresh 
salmon, caught eight days previously in the Columbia River, and other 
dainties. The dining-room was decorated with aquaria containing live 
fish, a large stuffed sea-monster (a thrasher) suspended from the ceil¬ 
ing, and a pilot-fish used as a gavel by the chairman. Two crossed 
hatchets hung on the wall over the latter’s head and the first instalment 
of the members’ photographs was exhibited framed. 

The topics and the speakers were as follows : John Foord, “Fish as 
Brain Food ; ” Eugene Blackford, “The Fishing Industry ; ” Geo. Shep- 



34 


NINETY DINNERS. 


ard Page, “ Sport in the-Maine Woods ; ” Colonel Knox, “ Fish in the 
Far East;” Captain Codman, “ Whaling;” Geo. W. Wingate, “ Trout 
in the Adirondacks, and Bluefish and Sharks off Fire Island Wtn. O. 
McDowell, “ Black Bass at Greenwood Lake C. E. Bishop, “ Pick¬ 
erel at Chautauqua fames Beard, “ Pictures of Fish.” The credulity 
of the audience having been now exhausted, the rest of the evening 
was devoted to further descriptions of earning the first dollar. The 
methods mentioned included selling a sailboat, raising chickens, bet¬ 
ting at a race, winning a turkey at a raffle, keeping a store, digging 
potatoes, writing a prize copy at school, picking apples, gardening, 
selling fish, and cutting clothes-pins. 


S2dD 


INNER.—APRIL 


i 7 - 


There were twenty-five present at the Twilight Club to discuss 
“Dynamite and Mob Law.” C. E. Bishop presided and remarks 
were made by the following gentlemen : George W. Wingate, on 
“ Militia and Mobs ; ” Marcus Benjamin, Ph.B., on “The Chemistry 
of Dynamite ; ” David A. Wells, on “ Our Duty toward the Irish Agi¬ 
tators ; ” Roger Foster, on “ The Law and Mobs ; ” Rossiter Johnson, 
on “ The Dynamiters' True Position ; ” C. F. Wingate, on “ Mobs and 
Slums ;” L. S. Metcalf, of the N. A. Review, on “ The Mobs of the 
Future ; ” E. V. Clarke, on “ Recent Growth of Cities ; ” Capt. Cod- 
man, on “ A Sailor’s View of Law and Order.” A very full report of 
this discussion appeared irf the Sun of April 18th. 

On April 30th the members of the Twilight united with a number of other 
friends of Mr. Henry George to give him a public dinner at the Cosmopolitan Theatre 
restaurant upon the occasion of his return from an extended lecture tour in Great 
Britain. Louis F. Post presided and among the speakers at the dinner were Ros¬ 
siter Johnson, Rev. Jas. M. Pullman, Thos. G. Shearman, and Rev. Geo. W. Gal¬ 
lagher. 



NINETY DINNERS. 


35 


B3dD 


INNER.—APRIL 


24. 


Forty-five members of the Club, including eleven ladies, took part 
in the dedication of the new dining-room of the Club in the Mills 
Building. It was desired to try the experiment of invitinga few ladies, 
and as the meeting-room could not accommodate all who might wish 
: to come, notification was sent only to the original “ charter members ” 
io bring their wives. The result was in every respect satisfactory. 
/The guests came in ordinary dress ; there was no deviation from the 
usual programme, including smoking; the ladies contributed their 
quota of songs, recitations, wit, mirth and talk ; and after an exception¬ 
ally full and varied programme the company separated at ten o’clock. 


Owing to the enforced absence of several of the patriarchs of the 
Executive Committee, the Secretary was forced to preside. The spe¬ 
cial topic of the evening was : “ Where did you go to school and what 
good did it do you ?” and it led to a consideration of the subject of edu¬ 
cation in all its phases—common-school, academic, collegiate, scientific, 
technical, artistic—at home and abroad. 

The first speaker and special guest of the evening was Mrs. Ermina 
Smith, President of the ^Esthetic Society, of Jersey City. Mrs. Fannie 
Tinker recited “The Portrait,” by Owen Meredith, and “The 
Naughty Little Girl ; ” Miss Little recited “ King Cambyses and the 
Archer ; ” Captain John Codman read an original poem on “Woman ; ” 
and Senor E. M. Castillo and Mrs. C. F. Wingate sang solos. Remarks 
were made by Geo. S. Page, Marcus Benjamin, Rossiter Johnson, J. 
C. Randolph, L. S. Metcalf, A. S. Higgins, Floyd B. Wilson, C. E. 
Bishop, Mrs. Rossiter Johnson, Mrs. Dr. Shepard, James Beard, 
Henry Hall, and E. P. Clarke. Mr. McElheine recited the description 
of the Apothecary of Mantua from “ Romeo* and Juliet,” and this con¬ 
cluded the evening’s entertainment. 


NINETY DINNERS . 


36 



INNER.—MAY 8. 


Twenty-eight members were present, ancf, under the chairmanship 
of Mr. Rossiter Johnson, discussed Henry George’s “Progress and 
Poverty.” The speakers were Roger Foster, Wm. O. McDowell, Dr. 
T. M. Coan, C. F. Wingate, Chas. Frederick Adams, Floyd Wilson, 
Louis F. Post, Dr. John C. Peters, and John R. Coryell. After a 
most frank and critical expression of views by opponents and friends 
of Mr. George, the latter was called upon to respond, and did so with 
equal frankness. 


UUth d 


INNER.—MAY 


* 5 - 


Mr. Roger Foster presided, and twenty-nine gentlemen were pres¬ 
ent. The topic of the evening was : What influenced you to select your 
present occupation ? and it was discussed in a very interesting and ani¬ 
mated manner by Messrs. G. W. Wingate, Louis F. Post, Dr. T. M. 
Coan, Capt. John Codman, James Beard, Floyd B. Wilson, Dr. Chas. 
H. Shepard, Harry Brown, L. E. Quigg, E. P. Clarke, Marcus Ben¬ 
jamin, Geo. B. Wilcox, Geo. McAdam, Edward B. Whitney, J. C. 
Nicoll, C. E. Bishop, and R. Waters, representing Law, Journalism, 
Medicine, Art, Science, Literature, Printing, Education, Advertising, 
Navigation, and Military Life. Incidentally, a very interesting discus¬ 
sion of printing as a fine art was brought about by some remarks of 
Mr. Wilcox, and afterward Mr. Waters gave a very full and graphic 
description of his experience as a printer and teacher abroad, in which 
he strikingly contrasted the national characteristics and mode of life in 
England, France and Germany with that of America. His remarks 
were commented upon freely by different speakers, and his view of 
German superiority over the French was questioned by many. The 
discussion as a whole was suggestive, as showing the versatility and 
adaptability of Americans in their choice of occupation, and their ex¬ 
traordinarily varied experience. 



NINETY DINNERS. 


37 


BBthD 


INNER.—MAY 22. 


Dr. Zachos presided, and twenty-eight members were present. 
The subject for discussion was, What America owes to France and Ger¬ 
many, and the speakers were Dr. T. M. Coan, Roger Foster, Capt. 
John Codman, Robert Waters, Horace E. Deming, Rev. J. H. Suy- 
dam, J. C. Randolph, Prof. Ricketts, of the School of Mines, Wilson 
Macdonald, Dan. C. Beard, C. N. Bovee, C. F. Wingate, and Mr. 
Moran, who also recited a charming rondeau in imitation of the French. 
The preponderance of opinion was^ strongly in favor of America's 
obligation to Germany being greater than to France. Incidentally the 
late action of Congress in refusing to remove the tariff on foreign 
works of art was discussed ; and at Capt. Codman's earnest request a 
ballot was taken to ascertain the opinion of those present regarding the 
measure. Ballot resulted in twenty-five voting against the action of 
Congress, and three in favor thereof. 


S7thD 


INNER.—MAY 29. 


The Twilight Club dined at their new rooms in the Field Build¬ 
ing for the first time, and found the change a vast improvement. The 
outlook over the Hudson is delightful, and the dinner—the fifty-seventh 
—in the main was actually by twilight. There were thirty-three pres¬ 
ent, and Mr. H. L. Bridgman presided. The topic of the evening, 
Ideals and Hobbies, was discussed by C. F. Wingate, Marcus Benja¬ 
min, Dr. Brockway, Captain Codman, Dr. Todd, Edward Earle, 
Charles Barnard, J. C. Nicol, Prentice Mulford, Porter, C. Bliss, and 
Justus O. Woods. Special reference was made to industrial educa¬ 
tion. 



NINETY DINNERS. 


58™ 


D 


INNER.—JUNE 5. 


The second Fish Dinner of the Club was no less a success than the 
first. It was held at the Field Building and was attended by fifty- 
four gentlemen. The menu , prepared by Mr. Eugene Blackford, dis¬ 
played his usual gastronomic skill and control of the resources of the 
deep, and included many viands with learned names and delicious 
flavor. 

Dr. Zachos presided, and the question Is Democracy a Failure? 
was discussed very fully, if perhaps too abstractedly, by the following 
gentlemen : Graham McAdam spoke of how economical questions have 
been treated in America ; C. F. Wingate, of sanitary problems ; G. W. 
Wingate, of political machinery ; Roger Foster, of democracy abroad 
and at home; Charles T. Congdon gave forty years’ experience of 
political journalism ; Rossiter Johnson discussed public intelligence in 
our democracy; Floyd Wilson spoke of South American republics ; 
and remarks were made by Charles Barnard and James Redpath. The 
latter gentleman made a vigorous and impassioned speech, and vividly 
contrasted individual freedom here and in Great Britain. 

After the speaking was ended, a vote was taken upon the Presi¬ 
dential candidates in the field. Out of forty-eight votes cast Blaine 
received six, Arthur two, Edmunds fourteen, Lincoln two, Tilden two, 
Cleveland two. The total anti-Blaine votes numbered twenty-six. 


S9th d 


INNER.—JUNE 


I I. 


Twenty-eight members of the Twilight gathered in the gloaming 
at the Field Building, under the chairmanship of the Rev. J. H. Suy- 
dam, to discuss What Books do you Read? By a wise innovation the 
Club sat down promptly at six o’clock, thus allowing the talk to begin 
at half-past seven and adjournment at nine, after every one present 
had had a chance to speak. It was thus a model evening in every 
respect, and the menu , mental and gastronomic, was excellent. The 


NINETY DINNERS. 


39 


talk drifted into a discussion ot habits of reading, favorite authors, and 
naming of books which had been “eye-openers” in their effect on 
mental growth, also mentioning periodicals read. 

The Chairman said he made it a rule always to have a book on his 
table, and to read one book every week. By this plan he accomplished 
much reading, even when most occupied. His favorite author when 
traveling was Montaigne. 

The Secretary believed in reading on current topics. He read the 
Sun, Herald , Post and Christian Union. He thought three solid works 
a year as much as most busy men read. 

Robt. Waters had been influenced by Mill, Buckle, Cobbett, Moliere, 
and Rousseau. Had recently read Henry George’s “ Social Problems ” 
and Lodge’s “ Studies in American History.” 

Mr. Walker found his sole relaxation from active business in 
books ; his favorites were Macaulay, Emerson, Buckle, and books of 
travel. He had read the A r ation from its first issue. J. P. Wingate 
found his solace in Littell’s Living Age, with Scott, Dickens and 
Cooper. Mr. Alexander said his business led him to read works on 
mining and metallurgy. He enjoyed scientific books and travels, 
notably “ Gray’s Botany” and Humboldt’s “ Cosmos.” Was fond of 
Victor Hugo and Tennyson. Read the Sun, Times or Tribune and 
Post, to get both sides, 

Mr. Drake (artist) found little help from art writers, but studied 
nature in preference. Read Dickens, “ Tom Jones,” “ Henry Es¬ 
mond,” and Miss Braddon. Col. Shafter, as a soldier on the frontier, 
read little but newspapers and military literature. E. W. Whitney for 
six years past had pegged away at law, to the exclusion of all other 
reading but the papers. 

Mr. Nelson thought few business men read anything beyond the 
papers. He had been interested in “ Rollin’s Ancient History,” Sir 
Walter Scott’s poems and Miss Muhlbach’s novels. Mr. Phelps had just 
read “ Robinson Crusoe ” for the first time, with delight ; he enjoyed 


40 


NINE T Y DINNERS. 


Tyler’s “Primitive Man,” Lubbock’s writings, Robert Browning\ and 
Charles Lamb. Thought reading newspapers a waste. 

C. W. Judson’s favorites were Bacon’s Essays, Plutarch’s Morals, 
Boswell’s “Johnson,” Lowell’s poems, “My Novel,” St. Nicholas 
Magazine , “ School-days at Rugby,” the Springfield Republican , and 
Brooklyn Eagle. 

Mr. Booth read the -Times and Springfield Republican. Enjoyed 
Scott, Holmes, books on science, and making scrap-books. 

Marcus Benjamin devoted most attention to technical journals in 
the line of his profession—chemistry. Dr. Dennet had found most help 
in Herbert Spencer’s “ First Principles,” and Geo. H. Lewes’ “ History 
of Philosophy,” Taine’s “ Philosophy of Art,” and J. Fiske’s “ Myths 
and Myth-makers.” Mr. Conant said Ruskin’s “ Modern Painters,” 
first three volumes, were invaluable to an artist. He had been a life 
student of American antiquities. 

Mr. Haskins had only time for newspaper reading, but found help 
in reviews in the Sunday Sun , enjoyed Thoreau, “ Monte Christo,” 
and Irving’s “ Knickerbocker.” Harry Brown read Lamb, Macaulay, 
Bulwer, Mark Twain and Michelet. 

Mr. Blue liked Dickens, and Geo. Eber’s historical novels. Read 
the Sun and Telegram , and found the Twilight Club a substitute for 
reading. 

Mr. Thayer had recently read Macaulay, Carlyle’s “Frederick,” 
Dickens’ “Child’s History,” and Thackeray. Read the Times and 
Post. 

Mr. Vroome devoted his time chiefly to periodicals and papers ; 
read the Times , Journal and Post. E. W. Chamberlain commended 
Parton’s ‘‘Voltaire.” 

Mr. Beckett had just finished “Sartor Resartus,” the Revised 
Testament, and “ Uncle Tom,” and looked forward to Blaine’s Politi¬ 
cal History. * 


NINETY DINNERS. 


4i 


60th d 


INNER.—JUNE 


19. 


The faithful twenty-seven Twilighters, who always are “ on 
deck,” sat down to dinner and to confession, the Secretary acting as 
chairman. The subject for consideration was : The Purpose of Life , 
and it was proposed with a view to ascertain what motives to good con¬ 
duct have replaced the old orthodox ideas of fear of eternal punishmen 
and hope of heavenly bliss. The speakers were Dr. Zachos, Roger 
Foster, Leo G. Rosenblatt, Geo. S. Page, Rev. J. H. Suydam, Wm. 
A. Croffut, Dr. Brockway, Dr. Frank S. Abbott, J. H. Walker, J. S. 
Alexander, Mr. Bryant, and Cyrus Butler. The discussion Was frank, 
free and broad in its scope. All phases of opinion were presented, 
but the weight of sentiment seemed to be on the side of those who have 
abandoned the ancient creeds, and who hold to the so-called liberal 
faith. W. A. Croffut stated this side of the question very clearly ; Rev. 
Dr. Suydam and Mr. Page vigorously upheld orthodox views, while 
Dr. Zachos, in his “ fatherly ” fashion, sought to harmonize the two 
opposing sides of the subject. J. W. Walker and Mr. Alexander dis¬ 
cussed commercial rectitude, and claimed that the standard of honor 
among business men is of the highest. In conclusion, Mr. Butler and 
Mr. Croffut recited poems. 


61 st d 


INNER.—JUNE 26. 


This dinner of the Club was composed entirely of canned goods, 
with a view of dempnstrating the extraordinary variety of viands which 
can be provided in this form, as well as their absolute wholesomeness. 
A selection from the stocks of the leading American manufacturers of 
canned goods was furnished, with a view to making the most attrac¬ 
tive display, and chemists and other experts were invited to test their 
excellence. 

The room was decorated with a huge American flag loaned for the 
occasion, while the tables were heaped with ornamental pyramids and 
columns ingeniously constructed of cans and glass bottles containing 



42 


NINETY DINNERS. 


beautiful specimens of fruits and vegetables. The effect of these when 
seen in the bright sunlight was quite artistic. The heavy storm of the 
morning cleared off and the evening was simply perfect. A magnifi¬ 
cent sunset filled the West with brilliant color and after the prolonged 
twilight a crescent moon added her glory to the evening. 

Eighty-eight gentlemen sat down to the crowded tables, heaped 
with tempting viands and courageously applied themselves to their 
destruction. Hardly an inch of space was visible on the board, but 
salads of all sorts, and cold me^ats, dishes of clams, jars of pickled 
oysters, masses of cold corned beef and tongue, covered the table. 
Everywhere was profusion and plenty. There were fifty-three articles 
on the bill of fare, and everything, excepting the Little Neck clams, 
was canned. 

The gathering was representative of the membership of the Club. 
There were clergymen and lawyers, half a dozen doctors and sanita¬ 
rians, two coroners, a health officer, a dozen journalists, including 
representatives of the American Grocer , the Iron Age, Metal Worker, 
Sanitarian , Commercial Bulletin, New York Sun , Commercial Adver¬ 
tiser, Chicago Tribune , New York Graphic, the Country Side, Cleveland 
Leader, the Century Magazine, American Pharmacist , and Scientific 
American. Then there were chemists, engineers, professors of lan¬ 
guages, brokers, authors, railway officials, librarians, manufacturers, 
mine owners, dealers in chemicals, sanitary, mining, and civil engi¬ 
neers, an elocutionist, a ventilating expert, an artist, and a biblioma¬ 
niac, a gas engineer, a writer of children’s stories, an English noble¬ 
man and a French count, an ex-United States Consul and an 
ex-Alderman, one expert with the rifle, and several experts with the 
long bow, an advertising crank, and a rabid Prohibitionist. 

A number of manufacturers of food products from Baltimore, 
Philadelphia, and other cities were present. Dr. J. C. Zachos presided, 
and remarks were made upon “ Food Production and Food Adultera¬ 
tion,” by Jas. C. Bayles, editor of the Iron Age, F. W. Barrett, editor 
of the American Grocer, Dr. A. N. Bell, editor of the Sanitarian, Dr. 
Bartley, chemist of the Brooklyn Board of Health, Geo. Sheppard 
Page, Lord Ronald Gower, Alexander Wiley, of’ Thurber, Wyland & 


NINETY DINNERS . 


43 


Co., Leo G. Rosenblatt, Rev. J. H. Suydam, and Prof. Kroeh, while 
Mr. Burbank gave several humorous recitations. A verbatim report 
of the proceedings appeared in the Metal Worker * 

* The invitation for this dinner stated that “ ambulances may be ordered at 9:30. 
Physicians of both ‘ pathies ’ will be in attendance. Autopsies, if desired, on the 
highest floor at the lowest terms.” P.S.—Please send word promptly of your inten¬ 
tion to be present, so that the Coroner may be notified and a plate and coffin re¬ 
served for you. 



INNER.—AUG. 21. 


This was a midsummer meeting, and at the Sea Beach Hotel 
Restaurant, Coney Island (West Brighton). Fifty-four ladies and 
gentlemen were present, who partook of a Rhode Island clam-bake 
dinner, and then visited the elephant and the Switch-back Railroad. 
There was no speaking at the dinner. 


63 



The Club resumed its gatherings at the Field Building. There 
were twenty-seven members present, and Mr. Floyd B. Wilson pre¬ 
sided. The subject for consideration was “Vacation Experiences.” 
Among the speakers were Rossiter Johnson, S. S. Packard, James 
Redpath, Henry George, Charles Barnard, L. J. Wing, Geo. W. Win¬ 
gate, Dr. Chas. H. Sheppard, W. O. McDowell, A. S. Higgins, and 
C. L. Woodbridge, who incidentally alluded to climbing cathedrals, 
cheap railways, Roman baths, tenant farms, watching lazy niggers, 
Southern cockroaches, Nantucket houses, getting railway injunctions, 
revolutionary legends, and reveling in the abstract, as the most inter¬ 
esting features of their summer experiences. 

Afterward each member present stated which of the Presidential 
candidates, from his personal observation, irrespective of his own in¬ 
clinations, seemed likely to be elected. The result was twelve votes 




44 


NINETY DINNERS. 


for Blaine, four for Cleveland, and five “unable to decide.” It was 
voted to hold fortnightly meetings of the Club until after the election. 

The Oil City (Pa.) branch of the Club was reported in a flourishing 
condition. 


64th d 


INNER—OCT. 


9 - 


* 


The meeting to discuss “ Monopolies ” drew a large audience. 
Fifty-five members were present, a number of whom had not notified 
the Secretary in advance, so that the soup had to be watered to go 
round. Rev. Dr. Suydam presided, and the discussion was opened 
by W. A. Croffut, who gave facts and figures at length in defence of 
monopolies. He was followed by Courtlandt Palmer, Justus O. Woods, 
C. E. Bishop, who gave his personal experience in fighting the Stand¬ 
ard OiTCompan.y, W. O. McDowell, Rossiter Johnson, and C. H. 
Cutting, who said our protective tariff system was the worst monopoly 
of all. Mr. Croffut then closed the discussion by re-stating his argu¬ 
ment and answering the objections of the opposing speakers. At the 
end of the meeting another ballot was taken on the Presidential elec¬ 
tion, which resulted in sixteen votes for Cleveland, twelve for Blaine, 
and three for Butler. 


65th d 


INNER.—OCT. 23. 

C. F. WINGATE, Chairman. —33 Present. 


(From the New York Sun.) 


The Twilight Club discussed at its dinner in the Washington 
Building the various phases of living, with special reference to the 
comparative advantages of city and country life. Gen. George W. 
Wingate said the margin between a flat, an apartment house and a 
tenement house was exceedingly narrow ; that in the better class of 
apartment houses the advantages were great for small families, but 
that for families with children Brooklyn was preferable to New York, 
because of the fact that people are not there so much confined to flats. 




> • ' f 

NINETY DINNERS . 45 

He expressed the opinion that Brooklyn was preferable for its quiet, 
its associations for children, and its home life. 

Geo. C. Page said that he rejoiced in living for seventeen years in 
the country one hundred and fifty rods away from his nearest neigh¬ 
bor. Instead of being drawn into a shell and fighting your neighbors, 
‘there is freedom and contentment in the country. Twenty-five miles 
from the city a comfortable farm can be bought for what would be 
charged for the rent of a city flat for a year. He urged everyone to 
get out of city ice-boxes and see the trees and the moss, the rocks, 
birds, and animals. L. J. Wing said he preferred a good large city 
for its pleasures, its conveniences, and its health. He remarked that 
for persons of limited means the city or suburbs was preferable, 
largely for the saving of time. He attributed much of the faults of 
cities to the ignorance of owners, builders, and architects, who do not 
know how to properly ventilate or heat houses. He denied that the 
city is necessarily more unhealthy than the country. 

Charles F. Wingate told of a city school-house which was afflicted 
with foul air, the cause of which was that the janitor kept chickens in 
the ventilating shaft. James Beard spoke of the advantages of living 
in the steeple of a church or on a scow. Floyd B. Wilson spoke of 
the softening of the brain experienced by those who live in the country 
and do business in the city, and have to keep a time-table in mind all 
day. He thought country life was well for the men, but mighty hard 
on the women. C. E. Bishop was asked to tell how people live— 
seven in a family—on $100 a year at Chautauqua. He said that there 
were some drawbacks to living in quarters where you hear the private 
conversation of your neighbors through the partitions, although some 
people find a zest in it. He spoke of the delights of tent life at Ocean 
Grove, and said they lived high, although it was down by the sea¬ 
shore, and told of a lady who was cured of lung disease by occupying 
a tent in Florida all winter and in another tent in Ocean Grove all 
summer. 

Dr. F. S. Abbott said the bulk of people do not breathe fresh 
air enough, even when they have the opportunity. He advised con¬ 
stant inflation of the lungs as of great benefit, and said that in the 


46 


NINETY DINNERS. 


house or out of it, in the country or the city, people would find great 
benefit from filling the lungs to the utmost capacity. His advice was 
“ Get all the air you Gan, even if it is bad and vitiated.” He consid¬ 
ered it a great curse that many people have a dread of air. He could 
not see why people should be afraid of night air, and said : “ There is 
not one woman in fifty in New York who gets a proper amount of air 
in her lungs from year to year.” 



INNER.—NOV. 


6 . 


Thirty-four were present and Dr. J. C. Zachos presided. The 
subject of Divorce was discussed by Justus O. Woods, Roger Foster, 
Capt. John Codman, Rev. Chas. H. Eaton, James Redpath, Geo. W. 
Wingate, and C. E. Bishop, A very full report of the proceedings ap¬ 
peared in the New York Sun of the next day. 


67th 


D 


INNER.—NOV. 20. 


There were forty-five members present to discuss the subject of 
Trade Unions. Mr. Rossiter Johnson acted as chairman. The dis¬ 
cussion was exceedingly vigorous and animated, and was kept up to 
an unusually late hour. The speakers were L. T. Wing, Justus O. 
Woods, C. F. Wingate, W. A. Croffut, James Redpath, W. O. Mc¬ 
Dowell, J. Bleecker Miller, C. L. Woodruff, Graham McAdam, Dr. 
Zachos, J. W. Wiggins, Jr., and Mr. Aikman. The general tone of 
the remarks was decidedly in favor of Trade Unions, which were shown 
to have originated to resist the encroachments of capital, but their de¬ 
fects were also sharply criticized. The rights of capital were ex¬ 
pounded by Mr. Croffut. Mr. Woods spoke of the defects of the pres¬ 
ent wages system, while Messrs. Redpath, McAdam, and Miller spoke 
of the historical and economical aspects of the question. Previous to 
opening of the discussion, a ballot was taken, showing that nearly 
a dozen of those present had worked at some trade in early life, while 
one of their number was still a member of a trade organization. 




NINETY DINNERS. 


47 



INNER.—DEC. 


4 - 


The meeting to discuss whether our popular system of education is 
a failure was attended by forty-three members and guests, Graham 
McAdam acting as chairman. Mr. Henderson opened the proceedings 
with a humorous recitation. A ballot then taken showed that twenty- 
nine of those present had at some time attended a public school. The 
discussion which followed was lively and vigorous. General G. W. 
Wingate assailed the public school system for failing to train children 
to think, and as tending merely to cram the memory. Robert Waters 
described the German method of instruction, and favored a higher 
standard of teaching capacity. A. S. Higgins ably defended the pub¬ 
lic schools, which, he said, made the best use of their means and 
opportunities ; children were replacing adults in many occupations, and 
therefore the teacher had a briefer period in which to educate them. 
Captain John Codman was asked to speak on Moral Education, but 
pleaded ignorance of that topic, and instead read a Yankee farmer’s 
speech before a town committee on modern schools, the point of which 
was that “ we try to ram too big wads into our guns.” Leo G. Rosen¬ 
blatt described Prof. Felix Adler’s Kindergarten and Workingmen’s 
Lyceum. James Redpath told of his experience when in charge of 
3,300 freedmen at Charleston, S. C., most of whom had never seen the 
cover of a book ; yet they learned to read in six weeks. L. Prang, 
the art publisher, spoke briefly. C. E. Bishop depicted the short¬ 
comings of country schools, and said the late election proved that our 
people were not educated to think or to act rationally. Horace E. 
Dresser, of the Brooklyn Board of Education, described the workings 
of that body, in which neither politics nor religion have any influence. 
Prof. C. F. Kroeh, of Stevens Institute, closed the discussion at tei> 
o’clock, when the Chairman pronounced the benediction. 


48 


NINETY DINNERS. 


69 


th Dinner.—dec. ts, 


This was the last meeting of the year. Notwithstanding the severe 
snow-storm, forty persons gathered round the festive board, and were 
presided over by C. E. Bishop. The special guest of the evening was 
the Rev. Edward Everett Hale, of Boston, an honorary member of the 
Club, who spoke with eloquence on the subject for discussion : What 
shall our Boys do for a Living ? Five-minute speeches were made by 
S. S. Packard, Robert Waters, Rossiter Johnson, L. S. Metcalf, Sam¬ 
uel Jelliffe, Roger Foster, Gen. Stewart L. Woodford, Geo. W. Win¬ 
gate, W. C. Codman, Jr., Marcus Benjamin, J. O. Woods, J. W. 
Walker, and the Secretary. Many personal experiences were cited, 
but the discussion rather took the form of considering what training 
is most needed as a preparation for life, than what is the best occupa¬ 
tion for a boy to choose. Several of the speakers strongly advocated 
teaching trades to boys ; others favored a broad, liberal culture, pre¬ 
paratory to special training, while several speakers enunciated the 
need of preparing our youth to be good citizens. Mr. Francis Camp, 
of Yale College, another guest of the Club, discussed physical training. 
The Chairman enforced the five-minute rule with vigor except in the 
case of his own introductory speeches, and further gave great distress 
to the audience by his wretched puns. 


70 ™ d 


# 


INNER.—JAN. 8, 1885. 


The seventieth dinner and the Club’s third birthday was cele¬ 
brated by an unusually large gathering at the Mills Building, fifty- 
three members and guests being present, filling and emptying three 
tables, and having a most enjoyable evening. Dr. Zachos presided in 
his usual patriarchal manner. The different speakers discussed 
Whither are we drifting? each from his individual standpoint and 
experience. Rossiter Johnson considered the Literary Future. Cap¬ 
tain Codman gave a historical sketch in four minutes of the progress 
of mankind from the time of Adam to the rise of Free Trade. L. F. 



NINETY DINNERS. 


49 


Post discussed Political and Social Development, and drew hope even 
from the defeat of General Butler. Rev. Mr. Jackson described an 
experiment in clubs for street boys in this city, as illustrating' the new 
methods of evangelizing the masses. Mr. Barton, of Chicago, re¬ 
viewed the late developments in applied electricity, and especially the 
substitution of copper for other metals. Marcus Benjamin spoke 
briefly on the same topic. Judge Pratt, of Brooklyn, remarked upon 
the vast strides made in legal and judicial fields, and thought that the 
standards for both Bench and Bar were higher than ever before. C. 
L. Woodbridge considered the tendencies of commercial growth. Dr. 
J. H. Downes described recent changes in Dentistry, and Dr. W. S. 
Dennett progress in Medicine. The Secretary advocated the claims of 
Preventive Medicine on mankind. A. N. Lockwood, of the Graphic , 
spoke of Illustrated Journalism ; C. N. Bovee, Jr., of the Law as a 
Science ; and Mr. Robert Waters of the future of Education. The 
Chairman then dismissed the meeting, and the Doxology was sung. 



There were thirty-seven present to discuss How do you fulfill the 
duties of good citizenship? Rev. J. H. Suydam presided. The Sec¬ 
retary briefly reviewed the work of the Sanitary Protective League. 
C. L. Woodbridge related his experience at the polls, and favored a 
better training for children in political knowledge. Edward Earle 
laid special stress upon the importance of obeying the laws. John P. 
Faure spoke of the work of St. John’s Guild. Edward B. Whitney 
suggested that private citizens should be more willing to testify in 
court when public questions were at issue. C. B. Davenport spoke 
briefly. Ernest Dichman humorously described his experience as 
United States Consul in South America and elsewhere. Rossiter 
Johnson advocated greater courage and honesty in performing public 
duty. Mr. Page, editor of the Occidental, described the Gold Mining 
industry of California. 




50 


NINETY DINNERS. 


1 Ad Dinner.—feb. 5. 

The seventy-second dinner, held February 5th, was attended by 
forty-eight members and guests at the Mills Building, Dr. Zachos in 
the chair. The Secretary announced, as the result of the ballot for 
Executive Committee, that Messrs. Zachos, Swinton, McDowell, Ben¬ 
jamin, Geo. W. Wingate, Suydam and Rossiter Johnson were re¬ 
elected, and with them S. S. Packard and Graham McAdam to fill 
existing vacancies. 

The subject for discussion, Social ills and how to cure them, was 
then taken up. Geo. S. Page discussed the social evil. Roger Foster 
spoke of dynamite as a remedy for popular complaint. Thos. P. 
Gill, editor of the Catholic World, by request stated the objects of the 
followers of Mr. Parnell, and strongly condemned the recent dyna¬ 
mite outrages in London. Samuel Crump described the workings of a 
Law and Order League in Montclair, N. J., in a very interesting man¬ 
ner. Dr. Westerfield spoke of temperance work in Jersey City. 
Horace E. Deming emphasized the need of reforming the primaries. 
Mr. Archibald spoke in defense of the Standard Oil Company, and 
said that the 20,000 employees of that company had never been on 
strike, and that great pains were being taken by the company to 
enhance their comfort by providing free reading-rooms, &c. Geo. S. 
Hall spoke of measures to advance political reform. Geo. W. Wilcox 
said that Protection was a social ill and should be abolished. Edward 
B. Whitney was asked to elucidate the pie habit as the prime cause of 
New England’s decline ; he also remarked upon the effects of our 
superficial schooling in spoiling girls for work and leading them to 
prefer a life of shame. Mr. Aikman thought personal sympathy the 
chief factor to cure the social evil. Dr. Zachos. summed up the dis¬ 
cussion, and referred to the Cooper Union as an agency for training 
men and women to earn a living and as providing a pleasant resort in 
the reading-room for thousands of the unemployed ; he noted as a 
curious fact that books of poetry in the library are most subject to 
mutilation. 


NINETY DINNERS. 


5i 


ydoD INNER.—FEB. 10. 

The dinner was quite a brilliant occasion. Fifty gentlemen were 
present, including Henry George, who was the special guest of the 
evening, and a number of invited guests shared in the entertainment. 
Graham McAdam presided with felicitous vivacity, which seemed to 
be contagious, so that more good points and wit to the square inch of 
speech were exhibited than at almost any other Club gathering. Ros- 
siter Johnson opened the discussion of What shall we do for the poor ? 
by relating an Italian parable. Rev. Jas. H. Hoadley, pastor of Faith 
Church, told of his experience as a worker among the poor on the 
East Side ; he thought that nothing but regeneration by the Gospel 
would elevate the masses. Chas. D. Kellogg, secretary of the Charity 
Organization Society, described the objects of that organization in 
detecting frauds and bringing the personal influence of well-to-do 
neighbors to lift up the unfortunate. Henry George endorsed the 
previous speakers and thought that true Christianity would abolish 
poverty ; he claimed, however, that justice must first be done to the 
poor, and that the present land system would cause disruption even in 
Heaven if it was introduced there. W. A. Croffut took exception to 
Mr. George’s theories as untenable. Louis F. Post answered this 
criticism. Judge Pratt spoke of the legal rights of the poor, and 
favored limiting the amount of individual bequests. George W. Win¬ 
gate argued that the law of the survival of the fittest seemed to make 
poverty inevitable. Henry George closed the discussion by a general 
statement of his views, and the Club adjourned at ten p. M., carrying 
away solid chunks of wisdom and wit. 


74 ™ d 


INNER.—MAR. 


5 - 


By a curious coincidence the seventy-fourth dinner of the Twi¬ 
light Club was attended by just seventy-four members and guests, 
the largest number, with one exception, ever at the Mills Building. It 
included doctors, lawyers, politicians, editors, journalists, public- 



52 


NINETY DINNERS . 


school principals, chemists, bankers, engineers, architects, two gen¬ 
erals, one judge, one sculptor, a State Senator, and an ex-clergyman 
—in short, “fish, flesh, fowl, and good red herring”—who seemed 
drawn by their profound interest in the topic for discussion, How shall 
we train our girls ? S. S. Packard presided, and among the speakers 
were Chas. F. Wingate, Graham McAdam, George W. Wingate, Dr. 
Jerome Walker, Judge W. H. Arnoux, A. S. Higgins, W. A. Croffut, 
Stewart L. Woodford, Rossiter Johnson, C. L. Woodbridge, Professor 
Jacobson and Ernest Dichman. Several of the speakers gave their 
personal experience in training their own girls. Dr. Walker described 
his observation as a lecturer to girls on hygiene. Mr. Johnson re¬ 
ferred to women’s lack of mechanical accuracy, and other speakers 
considered practical training for girls. The speeches were varied and 
interesting, and the Club did not adjourn until nearly ten o’clock. 

The Executive Committee requested that reports of the proceed¬ 
ings of the Club be kept out of the newspapers, as such publicity is 
destructive to free utterance. The Times' notice of the previous din¬ 
ner was without their knowledge. 


7B™ d 


INNER.—MARCH 


19. 


— IN HONOR OF — 

THE REV. JAMES M. PULLMAN, D.D. 

The seventy-fifth dinner, held March 19th, was a gala occasion. 
There were eighty-eight members and guests present, comprising the 
flower of the faculty. Through the courtesy of Mr. A, Vanderbilt 
several beautiful flags were obtained to decorate the dining-room. 
Professor Rice, of the U. S. Fish Commission, kindly loaned a bottled 
octopus, or devil-fish, appropriately preserved in alcohol, for the 
special delectation of the guests of the evening. Mr. Dan. C. Beard 
contributed an exquisite allegorical and symbolical genre sketch, which 
touched the heart of everyone present by its faithful portraiture and 
delicate coloring. Mr. D’Orville assisted with all the resources of his 
restaurant cuisine , while the assembled company enjoyed with gusto 



NINETY DINNERS . 


53 


both the viands and the talk ; it was a feast of teason and a flow of 
ice-water tempered by wine. Graham McAdam presided with his 
accustomed vivacity. In anticipation of the difficulty of maintaining 
■order among so many clergymen he was provided with a formidable 
gavel (apparent weight 300 lbs.) with which he rigidly enforced the 
five-minute rule. Rev. Edward Everett Hale, who had promised to 
attend, was detained by illness. Gen. Clinton B. Fish sent a telegram 
of congratulation, and Rev. Samuel M. Jackson wrote favoring the 
legal suppression of preaching, as “ the effect will be to fill our 
churches and thus induce many persons to hear the Gospel who are 
now ignorant of it.” 

There were nine clergymen present to hold the (pulpit) fort 
against the attacks of the laity ; five doctors and one apothecary to 
offer restoratives to any who might need them ; ten lawyers to 
render legal aid ; a judge to supply even-handed justice ; a bank 
president ; two school principals ; four editors; one poet; two 
political economists ; two engineers ; one banker ; one chemist ; 
two generals ; a number of merchants dealing in dry-goods, lumber, 
iron and leather; several politicians ; an artist ; a librarian ; an 
architect; a farmer ; a printer ; an advertising canvasser ; several 
insurance agents ; and finally, one so-called philosopher. 

The Chairman announced that the vivisection which was the 
prime object of the meeting would follow the regular proceedings. 

The subject for discussion, Should Preaching be Abolished by 
Law? might naturally impress a stranger to the unconventional ways 
of the Club that the latter was given to impiety, but the discussion set 
at rest any such illusion, and was earnest, practical and fervid. The 
laymen were called on first to free their minds as to the pulpit’s short¬ 
comings. Ernest Dichman spoke as one who had been brought up in 
the bosom of the Mother Church but had drifted away. S. S. Packard 
considered the School and the Church as educators, but said as his own 
pastor was present he dared not say all he would like to. Edward B. 
Whitney, from his six years’ experience in two village colleges— 
Beloit and Yale—thought that enforced attendance at church disgusted 
the mass of students and made hypocrites of many. George W. 


54 


NINETY DINNERS. 


Wingate favored less theology and more plain inculcation of practical 
morality from the pulpit. Rev. Dr. Rylance followed in extenuation 
of the frailties of his profession ; all lawyers, he said, were not fit to 
be Lord Chancellors, and if some clergymen preached poor sermons, 
they at least cultivated the inestimable virtue of patience in their 
hearers. Henry George came to the defence of the preachers, and 
cited Dr. Pullman as an example of what a clergyman might and 
should be. Rev. Theodore C. Williams, of All Souls Church, thought 
that where the mass of mankind were absorbed in selfish ends, it was 
well that some who were gifted with leisure and who had inclinations 
that way, should expound the duty of human brotherhood. Rev. John 
W. Chadwick came next, and his remarks were full of wit and 
wisdom ; he said that after so many intimations that the clergy should 
be abolished, he felt like the man who listened to his own funeral 
services through a register in the church attic, and was consoled to 
remember that he was not dead yet. 

The preliminary proceeding being now ended, the testimonial 
business began. The Secretary, in behalf of the Club, presented to 
the guests of the evening, a magnificent (imitation) russia leather 
album containing autographs of most of the gentlemen present, 
together with a purse full of coin of the realm (the clergy being in 
need of common sense), an application for a $10,000 accident insurance 
policy, and a package of disinfectant. In conclusion, he said that no 
occasion of the kind was complete without a poem and a piece of plate, 
and he then presented two pieces of plate and introduced Mr. Rossiter 
Johnson, who read the accompanying poem. 

Rev. Dr. Pullman, who was greeted with loud cheers and his 
health drunk standing, responded in a ten-minutes’ speech redolent 
with feeling and humor. Now that so much wealth and so many 
costly gifts had been showered upon him, he was inclined not to leave 
the city at all, but to remain and enjoy the competence he had thus 
acquired. He felt grateful for the appreciation his preaching had met 
with in unexpected quarters. He quoted a noble verse from Lowell’s 
Commemorative Ode as an encouragement to those who might 
“weary in well doing,” and closed with an exquisite piece of de¬ 
scription illustrative of the pleasant memories which such greetings 
and gifts would store up for him. 

Rev. Mr. Lloyd followed, and though he said that “ no one should 
speak after the king ” his remarks were eloquent and apt. After a 
brief personal tribute from Rev. Geo. W. Gallagher the meeting 
adjourned, and the elevator man started the company again on their 
downward course. 

“For men may come, and men may go ; 

But the Twilight goes on forever.” 


NINETY DINNERS. 


55 


M E N U.«- 


“ Welcome the Coming, Speed the Parting Guest. 
You point to Heaven; we think Hades best.” 


.SEVENTY-FIFTH DINNER 

— OF — 

Y E Twilight Club, 

Thursday, March ig, 1885, at D' Orville's Restaurant , Mills Building, 

— IN HONOR of — 


THE REV. JAMES M. PULLMAN, D.D., 

on the occasion of his intended departure from New York. 


Subject for Discussion : “ Should Preaching be Abolished by Law?' 1 ' 

NO FLOWERS. 

“ Thou art gone ; the abyss of- 

Hath swallowed up thy form ; yet on my heart 
Deeply has sunk the lesson thou didst tell 
And shall not soon depart.” 


—Bryant (revised edition). 





56 


NINETY DINNERS. 


“ He ‘ hitched his wagon to a star • 

With seats inside for all Creation ; 

His church no gorgeous Pullman car, 

For first-class folks’ accommodation.” 

— Emerson. 


~h/L E ZNT TJ. 


“Pray sit you down; 

For now we sit to chat as well as eat.” 

— Taming of the Shrew. 


OYSTERS. 


SOUP. 

Consommd a 1 ’Imperial. 


FISH. 

Striped Bass with Boiled 
Lobster Sauce ; Ber¬ 
muda Potatoes. 


RELEVE. 

Boiled Leg of Mutton 
and String Beans. 


“ Austere not he ; but, genial ever, 

Good cheer from Life he ne’er would sever.” 

-/ — Tennyson. 


“ Superior Sermons are like perfect Broth ; 
Wat’cher want in them’s plenty’r Stock 
Of Ideas, and little Water.” 

Sir Isaac Bacon, B. C. 4Qb. 


“ Fishers of men are ye 
In Sin’s swirling sea.” 

—Robert (ie Diable) Browning. 


“ I play the lover to-night; bring me some mutton 
and turnips.” —Edwin Forrest. 












NINETY DINNERS. 


57 


“ In arguing, too, the parson showed his skill, 

For e’en though vanquished, he could argue still.” 

—Goldsmith 


ENTREE. 

Croquettes de volaille 
aux Petits Pois. 

“ Our entries into life make far less clatter 

Than when we shuffle off this mundane matter.” 

ROAST. 

Mallard Duck. Celery 
Salad. 

“ In cultured Bosting, land of our int’lectual betters, 
Salads are alius made of belles lettres." 

— Lowell. 

ENTREMETS. 

Ice Cream and Assorted 
Cake. 

“ He that will have a cake out of the wheat must 
tarry at the grinding.”— Burns. 

DESSERT. 

“ If all had their deserts, who’d ’scape a whipping?” 

— Hamlet. 

“ Don’t you know 

I promised if you’d watch a dinner out 

We’d see truth dawn together—truth that peeps 

Cheese. Fruit. Coffee. 

Over the glass’s edge when dinner’s done, 

And body gets its sop and holds its noise 

And leaves soul free a little? now’s the time.” 

— Bryant. 


THE BENEDICTION. 


“ When famous preachers have their barrel crammed 

With sermons eloquent to sinners d-d, 

And when the slipper crop begins to fail, 

They shrewdly bank their fires and take in sail — 
Skip to fresh fields and seek for pastures new— 


Tip up the barrel and begin anew.” 


— Holmes. 














58 


NINETY DINNERS. 


TAKE HIM, O LYNN ! 


Take him in safety, O staunchest of steamers ! 

Bear him in triumph with banners and streamers, 

Take him through Hell Gate, whatever his tremors,— 
Take him to Lynn ! 

Lynn, Lynn, take him, O Lynn ! 

Take him, take him, 

Take him all in ! 

Take him and snake him, 0 equus ferruginus! 

Go, while the tears of regret are delugin’ us, 

Go, generosity’s organ is huge in us,— 

Take him and snake him to Lynn ! 

Lynn, Lynn, take him, O Lynn ! 

Take him, take him, 

Take him all in ! 

Take him, 0 city of waxed ends and leather ! 

Tie to him now and in all sorts of weather, 

Be sure that you keep sole and upper together,— 

Give him, 0 Lynn, 

Give him, your heart and your tin ! 

Take him, take him, 

Take him all in ! 

I 

The frosts of New England are famous as grippers ; 
Well boots it you keep him in arctics and slippers, 
You’ll find then, we promise, his sermons are rippers,— 
O fortunate Lynn ! 

Lynn, Lynn, take him, O Lynn ! 

Take him, take him, 

Take him all in ! 



NINETY DINNERS. 


Take him with all of his ice-cool theology ! 

Take him, a preacher courageous and knowledgy ! 
Take him as one that will need no apology,— 
Take him, O Lynn ! 

Lynn, Lynn, take him, O Lynn ! 

Take him, take him, 

Take him all in ! 


Take to your heart all his teachings, and sew them 
Tight to your in-soles, forever to know them ! 

We see to our sorrow he’s too good for Gotham,— 
It’s lucky for Lynn ! 

Lynn, Lynn, take him, O Lynn ! 

Take him, take him, 

Take him all in ! 


Take him when wisdom o’erfloweth your dupper, 

Take him when Jollity’s self is at supper, 

Take him when Dark Care shall ride on the crupper,— 
Take him, O Lynn ! 

Lynn, Lynn, take him, O Lynn ! 

Take him, take him, 

Take him all in ! 

With every old shoe of the “ Twilight ” attending him— 
All number thirteens—and Saint Crispin defending him, 
To Lynn ever-lasting we’re solemnly sending him,— 
Take him, O Lynn ! 

Lynn, grin ! take him, O Lynn ! 

Take him, take him, 

Take him all in ! 


Rossiter Johnson. 


6o 


NINETY DINNERS. 


76™ d 


INNER.—APRIL 2 


* 


At the seventy-sixth dinner of the Twilight Club, held April 
2d, there were seventy-one members and guests present to consider, 
What shall we do with our criminals ? Letters of regret were read from 
Judge Barrett, Elbridge T. Gerry, Donn Piatt, and other gentlemen. 
Judge Calvin S. Pratt presided, and the speeches were numerous and 
interesting. George W. Wingate spoke of the influence of environment 
and heredity in creating criminals. Prof. Charlton T. Lewis described 
from personal investigation the practical working of the prison sys¬ 
tem in Great Britain and Ireland. Graham McAdam discussed con¬ 
vict labor from the standpoint of a political economist. W. H. F. 
Round, secretary of the Prison Association, described the work of that 
body, and the results of the present system of prison management in 
this country, praising the Elmira Reformatory and the indeterminate 
plan of sentences. Ernest Dichman lucidly considered the criminals 
of Wall street, and the proper use of collaterals and extradition trea¬ 
ties. Judge Flammer gave his experience on the bench, and showed 
the need of accurate statistics in regard to crime and the criminal 
classes. C. H. Cutting told what he had seen when visiting institu¬ 
tions in Brooklyn, and severely condemned the abuses in Raymond 
Street Jail. Goodwin Moody said that poverty was the root of the 
problem of crime, and the vital question was how to eradicate it. Geo. 
H. McAdam concluded with some humorous personal experiences in 
criminal practice. Judge Pratt, in summing up the discussion, re¬ 
marked that the sexual passion was the prime motive of most crimes. 

A vote, taken at the suggestion of the Secretary, showed that only 
twenty of those present had ever voluntarily visited a prison, and only 
thirty had ever been present during a criminal trial. 

The Secretary regrets that his office cat has not left fuller notes of 
the remarks during the discussion. The subject proved to be so ab¬ 
sorbing that a second evening was devoted to the consideration of 

How shall we prevent crime? 


NINETY DINNERS. 


77™ d 


INNER.—APRIL 


16. 


61 


By a curious coincidence the Jersey members of the Club assem¬ 
bled in full force at the dinner held April 16th at the Mills Building, to 
discuss, How shall we prevent crime? There were forty-nine members 
and guests present altogether, including Mr. Edward F. King, Paris cor¬ 
respondent of the Evening Post. Rev. J. Howard Suydam presided, and 
marshaled the members from his bailiwick in formidable array to talk upon 
their great specialty. The Secretary opened the discussion, and argued 
that tenement-house life, by destroying the family and forcing the youths 
of both sexes into the street, was the chief factor in fostering crime ; pre¬ 
ventable sickness by creating poverty, and the lack of practical train¬ 
ing, were also influences toward the same end ; sanitary reform, there¬ 
fore, meant less crime. C. N. Bovee discussed the legal treatment of 
criminals, and thought it was the highest duty of society to give every 
culprit a fair trial. John A. Walker vigorously opposed this view, and 
thought there was too much false sentiment regarding criminals, es¬ 
pecially defaulters and men like James D. Fish; the law paid too 
much heed to culprits and too little regard to the unfortunate sufferers 
from their misdeeds. Robert Waters, of Hoboken Heights, dis¬ 
cussed education as a preventive # of crime, and specially referred to 
the relation of altitude and morality ; in mountainous localities (like 
Jersey) there was comparatively less crime than in flat districts. Dr. 
Ruppaner reviewed the medical aspects of the subject. Rossiter 
Johnson considered the license of the press and kindred topics. 
Charles Barnard showed how to keep the boys on the farm and away 
from the cities, and described the efforts at Chautauqua to develop a 
taste for agriculture among youth. Colonel Thomas Knox discussed 
literary crimes and international copyright. S. S. Packard gave a. 
very interesting account of his experience in training young men to 
self-respect and high principle. Dr. Zachos summed up the whole dis¬ 
cussion in a happy manner and demonstrated that everything is har¬ 
monious with everything in general throughout the universe, even in 
Jersey. The gavel was then tenderly deposited in cotton wool, and 
the Club departed on its winding way. 


A 


62 


78™ d 


NINETY DINNERS. 

INNER.—APRIL 30. 


Fifty-four of the Twilighters sat down to meat on the night of 
April 30th, at the Mills Building, for their fortnightly relaxation, under 
the chairmanship of Charles Judson, who dispensed witty remarks and 
champagne to those about him ad libitum. The subject under consid¬ 
eration, How do you work , eat, and exercise , and how often does the doctor 
call? was adapted to draw out personal experience, and many interest¬ 
ing facts were related bearing on personal hygiene. L. T. Wing 
opened the ball by some general remarks. Floyd Wilson favored 
meals at short intervals and suppers on the English plan ; he thought 
a man should be able to work extra hours under stress without injury, 
and he found the night best for careful study. F. N. Barrett, editor of 
the American Grocer , preferred the morning hours for work ; he had 
fought the doctors, with fruit as a diet, with potent results. Dr. F. H. 
Colton defended the physicians, and said dyspepsia, the prevailing ail¬ 
ment of Americans, was due to the national habit of shoveling food ; 
the main thing was how we eat and not what we eat. Chas. H. Den¬ 
nison advocated underwork rather than overwork ; he would rather 
do one day’s work in three than the opposite ; he did his best thinking 
in bed at night, and he had strengthened his lungs by breathing freely 
in the open air. W. F. Tupper spoke humorously of eating and dys¬ 
pepsia. R. C. Ogden, of Philadelphia, advocated short stops between 
meals ; he had found much benefit from sponge-baths and rough- 
towel friction ; he lamented that among the hundreds of benevolent 
societies in the Quaker City there was no Twilight Club. Allan L. 
Apgar told a little story about buffaloes which brought down the house. 
Abner C. Thomas seriously deprecated the strain to which most pro¬ 
fessional men, especially lawyers, are subjected ; few members of the 
bar who were over forty had not broken down at some time from over¬ 
work ; he denounced the go-as-you-please lunch-counter system and 
the habit of talking business at meals. The Secretary capped the above 
remarks by saying that a separate room would soon be reserved daily, 
from 12 to 2, at D’Orville’s restaurant, for the Club, where those who 


NINETY DINNERS. 


63 


cared to could lunch together. Dr. Coleman spoke, as an ex-dentist, of 
the important functions of the teeth in digestion. Rev. Dr. Suydam 
thought that every man should be a law unto himself as regards hy¬ 
gienic- habits, and he instanced General Dix as an example of this 
truth. Geo. W. Wingate considered the effects of excessive work in 
the professions. He thought everyone should make relaxation a 
duty, as in England, where it was no detriment for a business man to 
go out with the hounds regularly ; a good physique was an important 
factor in bracing the nerves and ensuring a cool, balanced judgment in 
emergencies. Graham McAdam closed the symposium at 9:15 by re¬ 
ferring to the bad effects of narrow sympathies on mental health ; re¬ 
laxation meant something more than mere rest. 


79™ d 


INNER.—MAY 14. 


There were fifty-nine present, under'C. E. Bishop’s chairmanship, 
to discuss Russia , the speakers being Prof. G. W. Maynard, D. G. 
Croly, R. Waters, G. W. Wingate, M. A, Kurshedt, A. Cameron, 
A. C. Thomas, A. A. Levy, Rev. P. D. Van Cleef, W. V. Tupper and 
C. H. Denison. The discussion was especially interesting. 



Sixty members and their friends sat down at meat on Thursday, 
May 26th, at the Mills Building, to celebrate the advent of spring, and 
to welcome a number of distinguished guests, who, under the chair¬ 
manship of Floyd B. Wilson, had been invited to speak of the geo¬ 
graphical, historical, political, ecclesiastical, agricultural, and minera- 
logical features of the Spanish-American republics, more particularly 
Honduras, with which they were specially acquainted. These gentle¬ 
men filled the ears and opened the eyes of the members with eloquent 
rhapsodies regarding the superb climate, wonderful gold and silver 




6 4 


NINETY DINNERS . 


mines, fruits, flowers, woods, and other natural resources of Honduras, 
until nothing but the lateness of the hour prevented a general stampede 
of their auditors for this Promised Land, which one gentleman declared 
must have been the site of the Garden of Eden. Captain John Cod- 
man, who had just returned from a European tour, was the first 
speaker, and discussed the subject with his usual lucidity. He was 
followed by Wm. A. McKee and Albert Ayestes, who both spoke of 
the natural attractions of Honduras. Ernest Dichman, formerly a 
U. S. Consul in South America, severely criticized the policy of the gov¬ 
ernment at Washington relative to our sister republics as thoroughly 
selfish and narrow. Thomas R. Lombard described his experience 
among the silver mines in Honduras, and said it was the only mining 
country which he had visited where the people told the truth. Mr. 
Wilson related some interesting anecdotes about President Soto’s ad¬ 
ministration. Roger Foster inquired as to the causes of the non¬ 
success of republican rule in South American republics. Geo. W. 
Wingate, in reply, said he thought the cause was that the government 
controlled the inspectors of elections, and were thus able to retain 
office. Mr. Russell made some general remarks, and D. G. Croly 
closed the discussion by stating that the American people were un¬ 
doubtedly opposed to annexing any country populated by people of a 
different nationality and language. 

The Club at this date numbered 325 members. The average at¬ 
tendance at each of the previous 18 dinners since the season opened in 
September was 51, and the average was 65 at the seven dinners since 
January. The Secretary in consequence had to engage a private 
secretary and a bookkeeper to attend to the Club business, and threat¬ 
ened to strike for an increase of salary and to take a larger office. 


81 st d 


INNER.—JUNE 


II. 


There were sixty-two gentlemen present June nth, in the Mills 
Building, to discuss, How to have clean Politics. John A. Walker, who 
had just been elected chairman to the reformed Board of Education of 



NINETY DINNERS . 


&5 


Jersey City, under the new regime of clean politics, presided, and in¬ 
troduced Captain John Codman, just returned from a tour in France, 
who briefly remarked that he thought the mass of the French people 
did not favor a republic, and that under our present system of affairs 
in this country it was impossible to secure honest rulers. Graham 
McAdam, from the standpoint of an office-holder, claimed that politics 
was quite as “ clean ” as banking, commerce, and the professions ; he 
thought the men who posed as reformers were not a whit superior to 
the politicians, and that “ good men” would be able to exert a benefi¬ 
cial influence if they attended the primaries. The current Civil-Service 
Reform idea was illusory, the true reform being the simplifying of the 
functions of government; and the only way to have clean politics was 
to have clean men actively engaged in political work. Marcus Benja¬ 
min related his personal experience in being dismissed from a govern¬ 
ment position after passing a Civil-Service examination. Chas. H. 
Denison defended lawyers from the charge of interfering with legislative 
and legal reform, and favored imposing a fine on all non-voters, and 
hanging a few government defaulters. D. G. Croly contrasted the enor¬ 
mous municipal indebtedness of this country with European states as a 
proof of the failure of local political rule here ; he said the United States 
was a law-ridden country. The Secretary spoke of the valuable results 
accomplished by Citizens’ Associations and Town Improvement Socie¬ 
ties, and favored greater regard for the opinions of specialists in local 
administration. Ernest Dichman considered very profoundly the ef¬ 
fects of national beverages on politics. S. S. Packard upheld the value 
of sentiment in public matters, and thought it well to advocate Civil- 
service Reform even if we had not yet realized the thing itself. Geo. 
W. Wingate described the efforts in Brooklyn to effect political reform ; 
he complained of the prevalent ignorance of voters in the “brown- 
stone ” sections respecting the antecedents and the acts of legislators, 
who in consequence were able to secure re-election and to defy public 
opinion. J. F. Burgess spoke of English experience with Civil-Service 
Reform. Edward B. Whitney discussed “ young men in politics,” and 
th'ought that the main thing was to isolate as many important offices as 
possible from political interference. F. F. Cook considered how to 


66 


NINE TY DINNERS. 


make Civil Service honorable and easy of access to the right kind of 
applicants. 



The Club removed, June 2d, to the Field Building, which, from 
its delightful western outlook and better light and ventilation, was 
bound to be a preferable meeting-place. There were forty-four mem¬ 
bers and guests present, who, under the chairmanship of Dr. Zachos, 
discussed with great animation and lucidity, The Art of Living, and 
the Cost thereof. C. F. Bishop said the chief thing in life was to have 
something to live for—a wife and babies were the first essentials ; men 
were extravagant buyers and the cost of housekeeping depended upon 
the women. The Secretary complained of the waste of money on 
luxuries and show; there was an excess of machinery in life and too 
little relaxation ; too much dish-washing and not enough rational en¬ 
joyment. Clark Bell spoke briefly. Robert B. Roosevelt confessed 
that a reformer’s life was not a happy one ; old age was the happiest 
time of life if filled with pleasant retrospects ; no man could be happy 
whose income exceeded $5,000, as then living became a task ; the 
height of pleasure, he thought, was to keep a yacht. Dr. Jerome 
Walker believed that a sound digestion was the first essential to make 
life worth living, and he extolled good cooking as a help to that end. 
Rev. Jno. W. Kramer thought unselfish solicitude for others’ happi¬ 
ness a good means for securing our own pleasure, and extolled good 
fellowship as illustrated in the Twilight Club. Col. Chas. L. Norton 
advanced canoeing as a simple and sensible form of relaxation. S. S. 
Packard said the previous speakers had unkindly anticipated all the 
good points that he had intended to make ; money well spent was 
wisely spent, and everything which conduced to higher mental and 
spiritual growth of ourselves and others was worth all it cost. Mr. 
Lounsbury gave a Connecticut view of the subject. Ernest Dichman 
cited the South American proverb, “the night for sleep and the day 
for rest,” as expressing the true philosophy of living; cost was imma- 



NINE T Y DINNER S. 


67 


terial—the prime question was what one got with his money ; pleasure 
lies in expectation ; and in the search for happiness we should follow 
the line of the least resistance. Graham Me Adam emphasized the idea 
of the “ fullness of living” as the gist of the problem ; no one seemed 
to be influenced much by the cost of living, but all spent what they 
thought to be necessary and got it the best way possible. Dr. Z t achos 
then summed up the leading points of the discussion, and said that true 
saving was investing in that which has value and grace. The company 
separated at 9:15. 

During the discussion a paper was passed around with the request 
that each person present set down how much he had ever saved from 
a single year’s income. The following are some of the statements re¬ 
corded : “I always carry forward the old account.” “ I give it up.” 
“$300.” “$700.” “ Damfino.” “Have saved my bacon once or 

twice.” “$7,000.” “I began life with nothing and have just kept 
even to date.” “ Have made $20,000 without saving a darned cent.” 
“ Have had no opportunity for saving—expend every cent.” “ Never 
saved a cent.” “ One year $1,500, but in the main it costs all I can 
earn to live.” “ Lord only knows, and he won’t tell.” “ About $200 
twice; always go off and spend it in travel.” “Nothing.” “$950.” 
“$25,000.” “Nothing in money, but a great deal in investment.” 
“ One'year a third of my average income, but generally nothing.” 
“ $1,000.” “In 15 years $8,000, but only by keeping out of Wall 
street and denying myself the luxury of running a newspaper.” 
“ One-third of my income.” 

Owing to the number of members who remained in town, the Club 
dinners were continued fortnightly through the summer. 



The first midsummer meeting of the club was held July 9th, at the 
Field Building, and was attended by thirty-eight members and guests, 
who, under the chairmanship of Ernest Dichman, enjoyed the spectacle 
of a magnificent thunder-storm from the westward windows, and also 



68 


NINETY DINNERS. 


an excellent fish dinner, as is usual at this season of the year. The 
subject for consideration, Is the Moral Influence of the Daily Press De¬ 
clining? was discussed by a number of speakers, including C. F. Win. 
gate, J. A. Walker, Clark Bell, W. V. Tupper, Dr. Bradley, E. B. 
Whitney, Geo. L. Record, Eugene Blackford, John T. Burgess, Charles 
Judson, E. W. Chamberlain, and C. E. Bishop. It was charged that 
the ordinary daily newspaper is no longer fit to be admitted to the 
family and placed where children could read it; also that personal 
journalism is a thing of the past, and the individuality of Horace 
Greeley, Raymond, and Bryant, is replaced by corporate ownership 
and control. On the other hand it was claimed that with the latter 
change there had been a decline in personal animosity, and that cor¬ 
porate ownership was inevitable with all large enterprises. The good 
and bad qualities of trade journals were set forth by several speakers, 
some contending that they were superior in character, strength, and 
influence to the daily papers ; and others charging that many of them 
lived solely upon advertisements, and were worthless in most respects. 
Another speaker contended that the daily press never had any moral 
influence, and if personal attacks on mnocent individuals continue to 
be so common, we may expect some day to see an editor shot. A 
member argued that the press is equal in moral tone to the community. 
The next speaker said it was too early to gauge the influence of the 
press ; journalists, like the clergy, had lost much of their former tone 
of absolute authority ; yet their influence, though exerted in a different 
way, was still very great ; the press had never wielded greater power 
for good than now, but from the increased intelligence of the readers, 
its power for evil was much lessened. The change to two-cent journal¬ 
ism, said the next speaker, marked a perceptible decline in the tone of 
the New York press. A Brooklynite cited the Union of that city 
as a clean and decent family journal. Another member said that one 
could no longer be sure whether a statement in a newspaper is true or 
false as in the days of Greeley and Raymond. He thought the Spring- 
field Republican a model and trustworthy paper. The next speaker 
argued that the fault was in the point of view, and that many things in 
the paper which were considered scandalous were really not so. The 


V 


NINE T Y DINNERS. 69 

last speaker, C. E. Bishop, said that the press is the mirror of public 
sentiment ; that every editor seeks to echo the thought of his readers ; 
people read that which pleases them ; and if the press be low in tone, 
it is because the community is lacking in morality ; which he denied, 
saying that the New York press is phenomenal in every respect, and 
cannot be taken as a type of the press in general. Adjourned at 9:15. 


84th d 


INNER.—JULY 


23- 


With the thermometer ranging in the nineties it was too much to 
expect an elaborate report of the dinner of the Twilight Club on July 
23d. Suffice it to say, the attendance was good, twenty-five being 
present, at the Field Building. There was a cool breeze, a beautiful 
sunset, and a still more beautiful twilight, and the Political and Social 
Future of England was discussed with great interest, if not warmth, 
by Messrs. E. W. Whitney, the chairman, C. F. Wingate, J. K. Hoyt, 
of the Newark Advertiser , Rev. F. M. Stevenson of Montreal, Henry 
George, J. T. Burgess, James Hall, of the Tribune , F. F. Sherman, and 
Samuel Jelliffe. 


85 ™ 


d 


INNER.—AUG. 6. 


On Thursday, August 6th, twenty-nine Twilighters assembled at 
the Field Building to welcome Mr. E. V. Smalley, the returned “ rustler ” 
from the far West, who, unable to longer endure the monotony and 
anguish of banishment from the Club dinners, had run on from St. 
Paul for a vacation, and was greeted with enthusiasm by many of his 
old friends. Leo G. Rosenblatt acted as chairman, and introduced 
each speaker with some legal saw or anecdote. There was no set 
topic for the evening, but “shop talks” were in order, and each 




70 


NINETY DINNERS. 


speaker talked freely about himself, his surroundings and experiences, 
in the time-honored fashion of the Club. Mr. Smalley depicted in 
glowing words the fascination and prosperity of the Northwest, where 
the mercury is often 40° below zero. He said Horace Greeley’s “go 
West, young man ” marked an era in the nation’s growth ; he had never 
known a young man with pluck and energy to fail to make a living out 
there, while many who possessed these qualities, and talent also, were 
unsuccessful in the East. Dr. J. C. Zachos spoke of the West as the 
safety-valve of the East. S. S. Packard discussed the art of talking, 
and commended the Twilight Club as a training-school for ready 
speech ; he thought every one could and should learn to think on his 
feet. James Redpath related some of his editorial and journalistic ex¬ 
periences, and told how he once went to church with Mr. Smalley. 
Samuel Crump described a successful experiment in founding a techni¬ 
cal course of training for boys in the public school at Montclair, N. J. 
W. A.. Croffut set forth the advantages of personal journalism, and 
claimed that it would be better both for the writer and for the public if 
newspaper articles were generally signed. J. Warren Greene made 
his maiden speech by giving a sketch of a lawyer’s shop life. Floyd B. 
Wilson praised Western colleges and schools, and said a good word for 
President Adams, of Cornell, who had conquered success in Michigan. 
C. F. Wingate cited some facts illustrating the failure of Americans to 
properly cultivate the art of living. Louis F. Post gave an account of 
his observations in New York criminal courts, where he thought justice 
was wretchedly administered, the presumption that every man was in¬ 
nocent until proven guilty was reversed, and the opposite theory was 
practically carried out. John W. Lovell mentioned his experience as 
a publisher of cheap literature ; the demand to-day was chiefly for 
books on social and economic subjects, like Henry George’s “ Progress 
and Poverty,” which sold 1,000 copies monthly ; there was a steadily 
increasing appreciation of the better quality of reading. 

The meeting adjourned at 9:30, after an unusually successful even¬ 
ing, in which, to quote Mr. Evarts, “water flowed like champagne,” 
and the viands and the talk were of equal excellence. 


NINE T Y DINNER S. 


7i 


86th d 


INNER.—AUG. 20. 


The last summer session, and the eighty-sixth gathering of the 
Twilight Club, took place at the Field Building on the evening of 
Thursday, August 20th, with the usual accompaniments, and was 
fairly attended, there being twenty present. A number of members 
who notified the Secretary of their intention to be present did not put 
in an appearance, but what was their loss was the others’ gain. Owing 
to the excessive modesty of those present, the Secretary was compelled 
to preside, and opened the programme of “ shop talks ” by some re¬ 
marks upon the delights of travel on the Long Island Railroad, and of 
house-hunting. Ernest Dichman gave a graphic account of his experi¬ 
ence in Wall Street, and picturesquely delineated the wiles and ways 
of stockbrokers, and the subterfuges of “wicked partners.” W. V. 
Tupper discussed recent changes in business, the decline of middle¬ 
men, and the increased cost of living. Chester Huntington spoke of 
commercial developments. W. W. Foster and G. Warren Greene gave 
some legal shop talk. Messrs. Sparkman and Swan spoke briefly. F. 
F. Sherman described the development and present status of the coffee 
business. Robert L. Fabian concluded with further observations on 
middlemen in business. A general discussion followed, which lasted 
until 9:40, thus illustrating that, no matter whether the attendance is 
large or small, the members contrive to enjoy themselves, and the 
Club flourisheth like a green bay tree. 



Owing to the continued absence of so many Club members from 
the city during the previous month, it was deemed advisable to skip 
one fortnightly meeting. 

At the eighty-seventh dinner, held September 3d at the Field Build¬ 
ing, the attendance was not large ; but the subject of the evening, 



72 


NINE T Y DINNER S. 


/ 

Vacation Experiences , was discussed in a lively and interesting manner, 
S. S. Packard presided, and the speakers were George W. Wingate and 
Henry G. Winser, who spoke of their experience in the Yellowstone 
Valley ; Judge Arnoux, who described summer life at Martha’s Vine¬ 
yard, where eighty thousand sailing craft pass within sight of his cot¬ 
tage ; while C. C. Hine told about his cocoanut plantation in Florida. 
Remarks were also made by Messrs. Swan, C. N. Bovee, Elliott, and 
J. H. Browne. 



D 


INNER.—OCT. 


i. 


Owing to the collapse of D’Orville’s Restaurant in the Field Build¬ 
ing, without notice to the Club’s representative, it became necessary to 
make a sudden change of base, and to meet at Cable’s Restaurant, No. 
130 Broadway, on October 1st. Twenty-two members and guests were 
present, who discussed Vacation Experiences under the patriarchal eye 
of Dr. Zachos, the chairman, with their usual vivacity and veracity. 
Dr. Zachos himself described his summer iournevs with a free pass to 
Coney Island, to ride on the merry-go-round and watch the bathers. 
Col. Thomas W. Knox told of his vacation at the Olympic Club, and 
deplored the decline of fishing in the Great South Bay. C. L. Wood- 
bridge feelingly related his experience at Nantucket and amid White 
Mountain mists. E. B. Whitney described his observations of the 
moon at Bar Harbor. Dr. Brockway read the log of a yacht cruise to 
Block Island. G. M. Phelps, Jr., give an account of double dummy. 
A. S. Higgins told about a schoolmaster’s vacation at Lake George 
and along the line of the new Croton aqueduct. Clark Bell described 
the perils and pleasures of trout fishing on Cayuga Lake. J. P. Win¬ 
gate related his experiences catching pickerel at Alexandria Bay and 
visiting Quebec ; while Samuel Crump told of a trip through the sunny 
South via Florida and New Orleans. The company were much edified 
by the recitals even of the fishermen. 



/ 


NINETY DINNERS. 


73 


89 


th Dinner. 


—OCT. 29. 


Despite the terrible north-east storm, the Twilighters from 
Harlem and Hoboken, Richmond Hill ajid Brooklyn, Jersey City and 
all parts of the Metropolis, gathered around their festive board to re¬ 
sume their winter sessions of pleasure and profundity, with keen 
mental and bodily appetites. The meeting was held at Cable’s Res¬ 
taurant, Thursday, October 29th, and thirty-six members and guests 
were present. Mr. Roger Foster acted as chairman, and the subject 
Why do we have hard times every ten years? was discussed by merchants 
and ministers, lawyers and judges, editors and manufacturers, with 
unusual vigor and vivacity. Seldom has a subject roused more elo¬ 
quence than the incidental discussion of the silver question in its 
relation to the financial situation, and all the finesse of the chairman 
was needed to restrain the ardor of some of the speakers. J. W. Wal¬ 
ker opened the discussion by referring to the effect of machinery in 
increasing production and in lowering prices ; he thought the latter 
not an unmixed evil to the mass of consumers. C. E. Bishop objected 
to taking New York as a standard for the entire Union, and argued 
that the South and West were feeling prosperous : it was largely a 
matter of feeling, and if people thought they were prosperous, they 
were so ; and vice versa. D. G. Croly said a panic was the result of 
piling up debts beyond one’s resources, and then when it was found 
they could not be paid, they had to be wiped out; France did no 1 
have commercial crises like those of this country, because they did not 
speculate so largely on credit : he discussed the silver dollar very suc¬ 
cinctly and favored its extension ; he also claimed that presidential years 
were not specially unprosperous, despite the popular illusion on the sub¬ 
ject. H. M. Benedict, Judge J. D. Campbell, and Samuel Jelliffe, also 
discussed the dollar of the daddies with much animation. H. D. Bald¬ 
win spoke on the money problem. Rev. Theo. C. Williams thought the 
hard times were due to the willingness of capitalists to risk their money 
in wild-cat speculation for the sake of higher interest ; they sought to 
resist the tendency of profits to reach a minimum which Mill pointed 


74 


NINETY DINNERS. 


out, and hence had to suffer ; he supposed he ought to draw a moral 
somewhere from this, but he would not attempt to do so. When 
asked by the Secretary whether there was the same downward tendency 
in pew rents as in prices generally, he answered : “In some churches.” 
L. J. Wing thought hard times the natural condition and prosperity the 
exception ; he believed the failure of our system of education to train 
youth to self-support was an important factor in checking progress, a 
remark which seemed to be generally approved by those present. J. 
S. Wood charged that the tariff was much to blame for our periodic 
commercial crises. W. B. Tupper grouped the credit system, specu¬ 
lation and extravagance as the triune causes of panics ; he noticed 
that whenever he expected a note to fall due he began to feel in a state 
of personal panic. A. C. Thomas closed the discussion with an inter¬ 
esting historical summary of the commercial changes in America. 


90th d 


INNER—NOV. 


12 . 


Only twenty members of the Club notified the secretary of their 
intention to attend the dinner of Thursday, November 12th, while 
forty-five put in an appearance. In the words of Col. Robert Ingersoll, 
“ this won’t do.” The gathering was notable for the small number of 
guests and the preponderance of old members, who, after a long ab¬ 
sence, had returned like prodigal sons to the feast that had not been 
prepared for them. Edward W. Chamberlain presided. The subject 
for the evening was, What is the solution of the apprenticeship problem ? 
but the discussion ranged over the whole education question. Rev. J. 
Howard Suydam thought the crying evil of the time was cheap and 
dishonest workmanship. S. S. Packard approved Horace Greeley’s 
idea that young mpn should be educated to do anything, as no one 
could tell what specialty would attract them ; he emphasized the need 
of thorough preparation in life. W. O. McDowell said machinery had 
wiped out the old apprenticeship system ; workmen were not content 
to remain at the bench when there were so many chances to win a 



NINE T V DINNERS. 


75 


prize in the lottery of life, as Edison has done. Samuel Crump gave 
an interesting account of his method of training boys in his label 
manufactory at Montclair, N. J. No pay was given the first year ; 
afterward good wages were paid ; ten per cent, was retained until the 
fifth year of the boy’s term, when this surplus was returned in fort¬ 
nightly instalments ; by this method boys were retained ; no other 
plan would serve. Industrial training in the public schools had been 
successfully tried at Montclair. Edmund Russell, a guest, spoke elo¬ 
quently upon art education ; there was too much undisciplined talent 
about ; teachers develop single traits and don’t turn out rounded men 
and women. Mary Anderson and Salvini were examples of half taught 
and thoroughly trained artists. C. E. Bishop thought apprenticeship 
foreign to our soil, and its disappearance was a logical necessity and a 
benefit ; he had learned the printing trade, and deplored the lack of 
mechanics who were masters of their craft. The secretary mentioned 
the difficulties met with in the New York trade schools, and favored 
industrial training in the public schools. Charles Barnard said the 
great point was to teach children to get possession of themselves and 
then they would teach themselves ; there was too much mystery about 
learning trades ; every child should learn the rudiments of science. 
Geo. W. Wingate thought Mr. Crump had come nearest to a solution 
of the apprenticeship problem. J. W. Walker said special training was 
indispensable ; trade union dictation was un-American and should not 
be submitted to. 



The ninety-first dinner of the Club, on Thursday, December 3d, 
was notable for the large attendance and for the lively and earnest talk 
upon the timely topic, How do the strikes strike you ? There were fifty- 
four members and guests present, of whom only thirty had sent notifi¬ 
cation, and who occupied every inch of space, and partook eagerly of 
Cable’s viands and of the “ canned fruits from the tree of knowledge,” 



76 


NINETY DINNERS. 


furnished by a baker’s dozen of speakers, the audience including mari¬ 
ners and millionaires, journalists and Jersey men, engineers and econo¬ 
mists, clergymen and chemists, lawyers and laymen ; and their sympa¬ 
thies were decidedly in favor of the right of Labor to seek redress by 
strikes. It would be impossible to epitomize the points presented by 
each speaker, but it may be said that all sides of the subject were pre¬ 
sented, including its historical, theoretical, and practical aspects. 
Graham McAdam presided, and the speakers were : Chas. F. Wingate, 
who described a strike among printers ; Chas. H. Dennison gave an 
interesting account of his experience during a strike in Michigan. 
Captain John Codman and Geo. H. Van Siclen referred incidentally to 
the tariff as~ a factor in producing strikes. Ernest Dichman, in his 
ornate and humorous way, surveyed famous strikes in history from the 
days of Moses, and declared that, since gunpowder was invented, ex¬ 
plosives were a prime factor in effecting social development. Nelson 
Smith drew a parallel between the strikes of organized capital, as in 
the case of railway corporations, and those of labor. F. B. Thurber 
spoke forcibly and lucidly in justification of strikes, and claimed that 
workmen obtained concessions only by compulsion. Moncure D. 
Conway related his observations of English boards of arbitration ; 
these, he said, had virtually done away with strikes, which were a 
primitive and barbarous method of warfare, and were certain to be 
displaced by more democratic agencies for securing redress. Louis F. 
Post answered certain common criticisms against trade unions, and 
claimed that labor organizations were civilizing agencies. Samuel 
Jeliffe, C. N. Bovee, and Rev. J. Howard Suydam also spoke briefly, 
and Wm. A. Croffut, who had suggested the topic for discussion, pre¬ 
sented a strong politico-economical argument to show the futility of 
strikes as a means of increasing wages, and that the competitive system 
was the only practicable one and the best for society in general; he 
exhibited a colored chart compiled from U. S. census statistics to show 
that the condition and earnings of labor had steadily advanced during 
a term of years, and he met with equanimity and apt retorts the sallies 
of the members who mistook his diagram for a Herald war map. The 
discussion lasted until ten o’clock and was decidedly stimulating 


NINETY DINNERS. 


77 


92dD 


INNER.—DEC. 


17 - 


The dinner, December 17, at Cable’s, was attended by forty-five 
members and guests, including several representative workingmen, 
who discussed the Labor problem, and especially The Remedies for 
Strikes , under the chairmanship of Abner C. Thomas. Louis F. Post, 
the first speaker, said that the only solution of strikes was to render 
equal justice to all ; he discussed the census statistics presented by W. 
A. Croffut at the previous meeting, and claimed that quite a different 
inference could be drawn from them ; he thought there were too many 
people sitting in the cart and too many tugging at the shafts ; if the 
latter kicked, it was not their fault if others got hurt. C. C. Hine 
gave an account of his experience in avoiding disputes with his em¬ 
ployees by fair and frank treatment. L. T. Wing spoke as a manufac¬ 
turer, and thought most of the complications between employers and 
workmen were fomented by demagogues ; employers often worked 
longer hours than their hands, and did not complain ; his firm had 
offered their men a percentage on their profits, but the latter would 
not accept. Edward King, type-founder, and a leader in the Central 
Labor Union, expounded the workingmen’s side of the question ; 
demagogues had little influence among workmen, and the real leaders 
took no pay ; the trade union was at bottom a mutual benefit organiza¬ 
tion, and a means of education ; most of the recent strikes were by 
unorganized bodies of workers ; employers forced most of the issues 
upon them ; impartial observers, like Frederic Harrison, upheld trade- 
unions. The Labor movement in this country was thoroughly organ¬ 
ized ; its growth could not be judged by outward signs alone ; its 
policy was threefold : to protest against patronage, outside leadership 
and politicians. Workmen were suspicious of each other and of capi¬ 
tal—hence co-operation and, industrial partnerships had failed. The 
laborer demanded shorter hours because his work was benumbing and 
often brutalizing ; imported contract labor caused strife ; the unions 
had a right to a fair labor market ; native American workers were 
more radical than foreigners and would not endure oppression ; we 
must expunge the heroic deeds from our histories and heroic utter- 


78 


NINETY DINNERS. 


ances from school-books before they would surrender their indepen¬ 
dence. Nelson Smith thought workmen had not made clear what they 
wanted ; he believed the protective system the prime obstacle to gen¬ 
eral prosperity. A. Augustus Levy advocated the right of Labor to 
agitate, and said the criticism of their course was as illogical as that 
against the early Abolitionists. J. T. McKechnie, secretary of the 
Central Labor Union, said he had no salary, and he asserted that 
trade-unionists were animated by right motives ; he reviewed certain 
recent strikes, and claimed that employers were chiefly to blame for 
them. Rossiter Johnson thought there was something wrong in the 
tests by which we assumed to prove the greater prosperity of the 
workmen in the face of their own discontent; he counseled modera¬ 
tion on their part ; the workmen at the North who voted steadily to 
sustain black slavery had no right to complain at lack of popular sym¬ 
pathy with their present wrongs. E. B. Whitney cited Professor 
Sumner’s statement that the failure of industrial partnerships in Great 
Britain was from the lack of cheap skilled administration, and he 
thought the technical schools were supplying this deficiency. Chas. 
H. Denison related incidents from his own experience as illustrating 
the proper relations of Capital and Labor ; if Labor suffered sorely 
by strikes, Capital lost far more and was most interested to prevent 
their occurrence ; if Society could limit the profits of corporations, it 
could legitimately take other steps to benefit Labor ; justice to all was 
the keynote of the problem. Nelson Smith then moved a vote of 
thanks to Messrs. King and McKechnie. 


LIST OF MEMBERS. 


Ackley, J. Edward. 
Adams, Dr. D. L. 
Adams, Walter. 
Allen, Geo. W. 
Aikman, Jas. H. 
Ayestes, Albert. 
Apgar, Allen L. 
Atkinson, L. P. 
Abbott, Rev. Lyman. 
Alburtis, C. W. 
Alexander, J. S. 
Arnoux, Judge W. H. 
Ashley, H. P. 
Burgess, John P. 
Baldwin, H. de F. 
Bloor, A. J. 

Browne, J. H. 
Burnham, Dr. Clark. 
Brady, Jas. 

Baccus, Prof. 

Baker, C. D. 

Barnard, C. 

Barrett, F. N. 

Bryant, M. B. 
Beckett, C. H. 

Blue, E. N. 

Blackford, E. 

Butler, Cyrus. 

Brown, D. H. 
Bowker, R. R. 
Benedict, H. M. 
Bowne, John. 


Bishop, C. E. 
Brockway, Dr. A. H. 
Bently, Edw. 

Booth, C. E. 

Brown, Harry. 

Beard, F. 

Beard, J. 

Beard, D. C. 

Brown, W. C. 
Brewster, C. O., Jr. 
Bayles, J. C. 
Benjamin, Marcus. 
Biglow, Poultney. 
Bell, Dr. A. N. 

Bell, Clark. 

Bell, W. H. 

Bovee, C. N. 

Bovee, C. N., Jr. 
Bridgeman, H. L. 
Cady, C. E. 

Cary, E. 

Chamberlain, E. W. 
Clarke, E. P. 

Clark, C. L. 

Coan, Dr. T. M. 
Crump, S. 

Croffut, W. A. 
Codman, Capt. J. 
Codman, Wm. C., Jr. 
Ceballos, J. M., Jr. 
Cromwell, W. N. 
Campbell, J. D. 


Coit, Geo. M. 
Comstock, Geo. C. 
Cameron, Alex. 
Crossett, Fred. M. 
Cutting, C. H. 
Colton, Dr. F. H. 
Croly, D. G. 

Church, R. S. 

Curtis, W. J. 
Champlin, J. D. 
Clapp, C. A. 

Crall, L. H. 

Childs, W. H. 
Conklin, B. F. 
Coryell, J. R. 

Davis, Prof. C. M. 
Dayton, C. W. 
Darrell, C. F. 

Davis, Vernon M. 
Day, Edw. G. 

Dana, Dr. Chas. L. 
Dresser, Horace E. 
Downes, Dr. J. H. 
Dichman, Ernest. 
Davenport, C. B. 
Davenport, Richard. 
Dodgshun, Chas. J. 
Dennett, Dr. W. S. 
Denison, C. H. 
Deming, H. E. 
Drake, W. H. 

Earle, E. 



8o 


LIST OF MEMBERS. 


Eaton, Rev. C. H. 
Elderkin, J. 

Evans, C. 

Elliot, A. R. 

Ely, J. S. 

Ensign, H. L. 

Egan, Maurice. 

Fay, Henry G. 

Fabian, Robert L. 
Forster, Wm. 

Foster, Warren W. 
Forster, Chas. 
Frankenheimer, John. 
Foster, Prof. Robt. 
Foye, A. J. C. 

Fiske, J. W. 

Faure, Jas. P. 

Forman, Alex. 

Foster, Jas. 

Foster, Roger. 

Fogg, W. Perry. 
Farquahar, R. 
Fairbanks, F. R. 

Frost, G. H. 

File, Franklin. 

Foote, H. L. 

Fowler, Frank F. 

Fox, Dr. G. H. 

Fox, W. Tazewell. 
Ford, Paul L. 

Ford, Gordon L. 

Ford, W. 

Grout, Edw. Marshall. 
Goodrich, H. W. 
Goodrich, Thos. P. 
Garrison, W. H. 
Greene, J. Warren. 
Gregory, I. M. 

George, Henry. 
Habberton, J. 
Haviland, F. 

Hall, Henry. 


Hall, Jas. 

Hale, Rev. E. E. 
Hammons, Dr. Wm. A. 
Hammond, Geo. F. 
Hanks, Dr. E. F. 
Hanford, Walter. 
Harthaway, Dr. F. A. 
Harter, Fred’k. A. 
Haskins, C. D. 

Hayes, H. E. 

Hewett, Chas. 

Hewitt, Robert, Jr. 
Higgins, A. S. 
Hildburgh, Henry. 
Hine, Chas. C. 
Hoffman, W. H. 
Hoffman, M. 

Hoffman, L. M. 
Holbrook, F. N. 
Hopping, Geo. W. 
Hoyt, J. K. 
Huntington, C. 
Huntington, Frank. 
Hull, J. H. 

Hull, Chas. A. 

Hughs, B. J. 

Hunt, D. 

Hungerford, Dr. H. 
Isbell, C. W. 

Iselin, Henry S. 

Jones, L. 

Jones, L. M. 

Johnson, Rossiter. 
Johnson, E. M. 
Johnson, Gilbert H. 
Jelliffe, Sam’l. 

Jelliffe, W. M. 

Jebb, Wm. T. 

Jessup, A. C. 

Johnes, Edward R. 

Judson, C. 

Knox, T. W. 


Kunhardt, W. B. 
Kroeh, Prof. C. F. 
Kentgen, William. 
Knudson, M. F. 
Knight, Jos. 

Ketcham, Gen. A. P. 
Ketcham, D. W. 
Kurnshedt, M. A. 
Kramer, Rev. John W. 
Kellogg, Wm. C. 
Knapp, S. T., Jr. 
Leonard, O. W. 

Levy, A. A. 

Levy, Jefferson M. 
Lombard, Thos. R. 
Lapham, Edwin N. 
Lockwood, A. N. 
Lovell, A. 

Lovell, John.W. 

Lay, M. L. 

Leech, J. E. 

Lungrin, C. M. 
Maynard, G. W. 
McCreary, J. A. 
McElheime, T. D. 

Mead, F. W. 

Messiter, R. P. 
Messiter, G. N. 
Marquand, H. 

Mountain, J. J. 

Moody, G. 

McAdam, G. H. 
McAdam, G. 

Metcalf, L. S. 
McDowell, W. O. 
Morgan, Dr. 
Macdonald, Chas. A. 
Marvin, Sam. W. 
Munsell, Chas. E. 
Murray, Robt. I. 
Newell, Martin. 

Norton, Chas. L. 


LIST OF MEMBERS. 


81 


Nevin, Capt. W. W. - 
Nelson, R. 

Nicol, J. C. 

Ordway, Samuel. 
Ormsby, W. 

Ormiston, Dr. 

Ogden, R. C. 

Packard, S. S. 

Palmer, C. 

Page, G. S. 

Peters, Dr. J. C. 
Peabody, G. F. 
Pullman, Rev. J. M. 
Post, L. F. 

Pray, John D. 
Plympton, G. H. 
Phillips, Wm. 

Pate, Wm. C. 

Piatt, Donn. 

Pratt, Judge Calvin E. 
Pierce, F. E. 

Parshall, W. A. 
Powers, Dr. Chas. A. 
Platt, H. S. 

Pope, R. W. 

Parker, J. 

Parton, J. 

Phelps, G. M., Jr. 
Plunkett, Dr. Edw. 
Quigg, L. 

Randolph, J. C. F. 
Rosenblatt, T. G. 
Runkle, C. A. 
Rochester, T. M., Dr. 
Rice, I. 

Robinson, J. B. 

Robb, Alex. 

Ricketts, Professor. 
Redpath, Jas. 

Rylance, Rev. Dr. 
Rhoades, J. N. 
Ruppaner, Dr. A. 


Round, Wm. M. F. 
Record, Geo. L. 
Russell, Edmund. 
Rosevelt, Robt. B. 
Reaves, J. R. 

Scoville, D. C. 
Shepard, Dr. C. H. 
Sprague, C. E. 
Suydam, Rev. J. H. 
Smalley, E. V. 
Shearman, T. G. 
Smith, R. L. 
Stockton, Dr. C. S. 
Scofield, T. L. 
Stebbins, J. H., Jr. 
Swinton, John. 

Saxe, O. J. 

Seccomb, E. A. 
Squires, W. H. 
Sternberger, I . 
Sampson, Z. S. 
Shrady, Dr. Geo. F. 
Smith, H. B. 

Smith, Nelson. 

Smidt, Allan L. 
Smith, Fred. C. 
Smith, A. B. 

Swan, L. M. 

Spooner, J. A. 

Smoot, W. S. 

Stevens, Chas. J. 
Sparkman, Jas. T. 
Schaefer, R. J. 

Sweet, C. W. 
Stevenson. Rev. J. T. 
Smith, John S. 

Smith, Robt. W. 
Sweet, Ed. F. 
Southard, Geo. H. 
Taber, John R. 
Talmage, J. h. 

Towle, S. 


Todd, Dr. Wm. S. 

Tupper, W. V. 

Thomas, A. C. 

Twining, Rev. K. 

Thayer, Fred. P. 

Taylor, V. C. 

Thayer, Mr. 

Taylor, Wm. C. 

Taylor, Jas. H. 

Tinker, F. A. 

Thurber, T. B. 

Telfair, J. H. 

Tourgee, Judge A. W. 
Thompson, Rev. F. H. 
Terry, E. S. 

Thompson, G. K. 
Thompson, J. 

Vanderbilt, A. 

Vroome, G. A. 

Whitney, E. B. 

Walker, J. A. 

Wells, Hon. David A. 
Wilcox, G. W. 

Wilson, F. B. 

Wingate, G. W. 

Wingate, J. P. 

Winser, H. G. 

Wheeler, F, M. 

Woodford. S. L. 

Wakeman, T. B. 

Walters, R. 

Wiley, A. 

Woods, J. O. 

Wing, L. J. 

Westerfield, Dr. W. A., Jr. 
Wiggins, J. W., Jr. 
Woodbridge, C. L. 

Welch, Dr. F. G. 

White, Geo. C., Jr. 
Wingate, Chas. F. 
Wharton, B. H. 

Williams, Rev. Theo. C. 


82 


LIST OF MEMBERS. 





Williams, Richard R. 
Weidemeyer, J. W. 
Woodward, J. B. 
Williams, W. H. 


Wells, James. 

Wood, John S. 
Wilcox, Dr. Ira. 
Wing, C. U. 

Zachos, Dr. J. C. 


Walker, Dr. J. 

Westerfield,-. 

Waring, Wm. 

White, Frederick P. 






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